Growing Up
by xperimental
Summary: The end of high school is only the beginning of the rest of their lives…
1. I Want To Know Your Plans

**Title: Growing Up (Falling Down) 1/23**

**Author: xperimental**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Disclaimer: I don't own South Of Nowhere. But I wish I did.**

**Pairing: Spencer/Ashley**

**Summary: The end of high school is only the beginning of the rest of their lives…(OMG, I'm so lame. cringe)**

* * *

**Chapter 1 - I Want To Know Your Plans.**

The sound, Ashley imagined, of what a walrus giving birth with a blocked nose sounded like, is what she woke too.

Groaning she rolled over to face her clock. 11:12am. Who in their right mind would be awake at that hour? With the noise still echoing through the loft, Ashley knew that any attempt to return to her dream, where she and Spencer were frolicking naked in a cloud of cotton candy, would be useless. Faced with no other option, she got out of bed.

"Kyla!" She had to shout to be heard above the din. "What the hell is this crap?"

Kyla, unfazed, maintained her cross-legged position on her yoga mat. "Whale sounds, they're very soothing. Good for meditation."

"They're also good for pissing me off," Ashley grumbled, aggressively hitting the stop button on the stereo. She took a moment to soak in the glorious silence before addressing her sister. "What's wrong? You've been meditating more than usual this week."

Sighing, Kyla stood and stretched herself out before heading to the kitchen to fix Ashley her coffee. "I'm worried about Aiden," she confessed.

"Why?" Ashley snorted, she had found her life had much improved with out the meddling boy in it.

"Because I haven't heard from him in like a week, ever since he left to go to his family's holiday house. He said that he needed to," She busted our the air quotes. "get himself squared away." She rolled her eyes at Aiden's cryptic words. "Whatever that means."

"Maybe he decided to join the army," suggested Ashley, smirking mischievously. "Hey, if he's as invincible as her thinks he is, he'd have a bright future as a human shield." Ashley hadn't been able to keep herself from laughing when Kyla had told her about Aiden's Superman delusions. As if Aiden Dennison was anywhere near cool enough to be Superman. He wasn't even cool enough to be Superman Prime and that douchebag killed Superboy.

"That's not funny, Ash! I don't know how you can make jokes about this. Aiden's your friend too."

"If you say so," Ashley said, wrapping her hands around the warm mug her sister had just placed before her.

"Huh?"

"I'm just saying, now that he's not constantly hanging around and I've had some time and space to think about it, Aiden really isn't the great guy we all pretend that he is and he really wasn't a very good friend to me." Taking a long sip of her coffee, Ashley took a moment to phrase her thoughts in a way that Kyla could understand. "After Dad died, I was so desperate not to lose anybody else, so I let Aiden's shitty behavior slide because I was so scared of pushing him away, and that's my fault, I know. But he totally took advantage of that. If he was such a good friend and amazing guy he never would've done what he did at prom."

"But-"

Ashley held up a hand, effectively silencing her sister's protest. "Please don't make excuses for him, Ky. I think that we've all been doing that for way too long. You know, Spencer and I weren't the only ones he screwed over at prom. He hurt you too. And did he ever apologize for any of it? Because he sure as hell didn't say sorry to me." No, he was too busy blaming her for everything that had ever gone wrong in his life. "And I think that you're wasting your time worrying about him when you could do so much better."

"Better like who?"

Ashley shrugged, it's not like she had anyone in particular in mind, she was just trying to make a point. "I don't know. Glen? Maybe?"

"Ew!" Kyla nearly spat out her herbal tea. "I'd rather not date someone else who's already taken a dip in Madison's pool."

"Well, that pretty much rules out the entire male population of the city."

"I heard that," Madison declared, walking in like she owned the place.

Ashley jumped in surprise, spilling some of her delicious beverage on herself._ I guess it is true, speak of the devil and she will appear_. "Don't care," she drawled, recovering quickly. "How did you get in?"

"Kyla gave me a key." Madison tossed her oversized (seriously, she could fit a small horse in that thing) purse onto the counter, barely missing Ashley's head.

"Of course she did," Ashley breathed, glaring at her sister who had suddenly found the bottom of her mug very intriguing. "Okay, second question, why are you here?"

Madison stared daggers at her. "We have to be in the studio in an hour, we're recording my demo today. I figured you'd forget, so I-"

"I didn't forget! Ashley snapped. Yes, she had. "Kyla just distracted me, that's all."

"Whatever," said Madison, rolling her eyes and shoving Ashley off her stool. "Go and get changed, if I must be seen with you in public it's certainly not going to be in that." She huffed and muttered, "Lesbians," under her breath.

Ashley looked down at her white beater and plaid pajama pants. "These are my pajamas, numbnuts!" Highly offended, she flounced off to her bedroom without waiting for a reply.

Once she was gone, Madison turned her attention to the younger Davies sister. "So, Glen, huh?"

Kyla groaned and buried her face in her hands. "I'm going to kill her for this."

-

After a long three hour day at work, the last thing Ashley needed was to come home to a houseful of strangers and yet that was what she was confronted with as she walked through the door. "Kyla!" she yelled, when she couldn't see her sister among the group of strangers sitting around her kitchen table, eating HER cereal.

"Ashley," Kyla chastised, emerging from her bedroom. "Stop yelling, you'll scare them."

"Oh no," Ashley gasped, her hand flying up to cover her mouth. "Can't have that! Who the hell are they?"

"Homeless people, from the shelter."

Ashley slapped a hand to her forehead. "No! No, no. Ky, not again. You promised me! No more bringing home strays. These are people, Kyla, not dogs, you can't just-" She paused as one of the girls got up to refill her bowl. "Is that my top? You're letting them wear my clothes?"

"Their clothes are being washed," Kyla explained, calmly. "Would you rather they walk around naked?"

"I'd rather they not be here." _Okay, calm down Ashley, count to ten. _Honestly, she had been trying to be a better person and all but her sister insisted on testing her newfound patience. "Okay, you know what, I'm going to go to Spencer's and when I get back, they are not going to be here. Understand?"

Kyla could see that she had obviously pushed her big sister just a little too far. "They'll be gone, I swear."

"Better be."

-

"I'd forgotten how hot you are when you're being all studious," Ashley purred, leaning against the doorframe in Spencer's room.

Spencer jumped in surprise, quickly stuffing her reading material under her pillows. "Ash! Hi! How did you get in here? I didn't hear the door."

"Your mom got home just before I got here, I helped her bring the groceries in," Ashley explained, gently smiling at how easily her girlfriend got flustered. "What are you hiding under there?" she teased as she joined Spencer on the bed.

"Nothing!" the blonde squeaked, trying to protect what she had stashed under the pillows, but Ashley was quicker and got to it first.

"And what do we have here?" Ashley laughed, holding the magazine high above her head so Spencer couldn't reach it. Had she just caught innocent little Spencer Carlin looking at porn? The thought filled her heart with glee.

"Ash, give it back." Spencer made a grab for it and came up with nothing but air as Ashley skipped to the other side of the room.

"Emerson University?" Ashley frowned as she read the cover of the magazine. "As in, Emerson in Boston? Uh, Spence?" She looked to her girlfriend for what she hoped was a simple explanation.

Spencer squirmed uncomfortably, biting her bottom lip. This was not how she wanted to break the news. "I got accepted."

"That's awesome, why didn't you tell me?"

Spencer sighed, pulling Ashley back down onto the bed by her hand. "Because I didn't want you to get upset."

"And why would I get upset?" Ashley asked cautiously. She did not like where this was going at all.

"Because I'm seriously thinking about going."

Ashley was up off the bed in a shot. "To Boston? I thought you'd already decided on UCLA!"

"No, you just assumed that I'd decided on UCLA."

"I can't believe this." God, it was hard enough to keep their relationship stable while they were both in the same city and now Spencer wanted to move to freaking Boston? "Are you serious?"

Spencer nodded, looking down at the course magazine Ashley had abandoned on the bed. "Emerson is a great liberal arts college, perfect for what I want to do-"

"So is UCLA!" Sean had told her so. "And you won't even have to move."

"But Emerson is my first choice," Spencer admitted quietly.

That took the wind out of Ashley's sails. "I don't want you to go," she said glumly, dropping back down on to the bed. Spencer put a comforting hand on her knee.

"I know."

"But that doesn't change anything. Does it."

"…no."

Ashley nodded, swallowing hard. Now this was just the cherry on top of a perfect day. Woken up early by whale music, having to spend half the day with Madison, coming home to find it overrun by homeless people and now her girlfriend was telling her that she wanted to go to school on the other side of the country and there was nothing she could do about it. "I'm gonna go."

"Ash-"

"I'll call you later."

-

_Kyla had better have those moochers out of my house,_ Ashley thought as she parked behind a police cruiser. Although she'd calmed down considerably since leaving Spencer's, she still wasn't in the best mood and anything could tip her over the edge.

"Hey, Ky," she greeted as she entered the loft. "There's a cop car downstairs, I wonder-" Kyla appeared from around the corner, looking unharmed, followed by a young police officer. "Why the hell they're in my apartment," she finished, gritting her teeth. "He had better be a stripper."

Kyla cringed and sheepishly shook her head. The handsome cop stepped forward and introduced himself. "Not exactly, although you'd be surprised how often I get mistaken for one. I'm Officer Jared Owens."

"Nice to meet you, now what the hell are you doing here?"

"Well, it seems as though you've had a bit of a burglary."

"A bit of a…" Ashley repeated, uncomprehendingly. "What'd they take?"

"Uh." Owens checked his notepad. "Cash, the plasma television you had in the living room and, according to your sister, the guitar that was on that stand over there. I don't suppose you know the make and mod-"

"910 Taylor Acoustic with a Sitka Spruce top, Indian Rosewood sides and ebony inlay." _I am going to kill whoever did this, slowly, then resurrect their corpses and kill them again._

"That's very helpful." Owens jotted it down in his notebook.

"How did this happen? I thought I told you to get rid of those homeless bums."

"I did!" Kyla squeaked. "I kicked them out and then went to Starbucks. I came home and the door was wide open, so I called the cops."

"There was no sign of forced entry," Owens added.

"I gave them a key," Kyla said in a small voice, hiding behind Officer Owens' broad back.

Sensing that the older brunette was about to bust a vein, Owens rushed on. "When the doorman downstairs questioned them about what they were doing, they explained that they were taking the items to be repaired. But the good news is that we have detailed descriptions of the suspects, so there's a good chance that we'll find them and you'll be able to get your belongings back. But I'm afraid the cash will probably be long gone." He flipped his notebook shut and tucked it back in his belt. "I'll be in touch with the police report for your insurance company and we'll let you know if anything turns up."

Kyla, anxious to keep as close to the protective presence of the LAPD as possible, led Officer Owens to the door. "And I was just telling your sister that you should be more selective in who you give keys to," he added.

"I'll keep that in mind," Ashley said, clenching her jaw.

Owens nodded and smiled pleasantly. "Well, you ladies have a good night and Kyla, don't forget about getting someone in to change these locks."

"I won't." Kyla closed the door and turned to face the music. "Ash, I am so sorry," she said tearily. "I'll buy you a new tv."

"It's not the tv I'm upset about, Kyla! I told you that something like this would happen and you ignored me. And they took my favorite guitar! It was Daddy's and he gave it to me for my birthday and there's no replacing that. God, I told you not to let those people into our house!"

"I know." Kyla hugged herself pitifully. "I keep screwing up but I honestly thought that I was doing a good thing. Please, don't hate me."

Ashley sighed, swallowing her anger as she watched her sister break down. Again. Kyla had been through a lot lately and Ashley knew, however misguided she was in her attempts, she was trying to be better. She stepped forward and pulled the smaller girl into a hug. "Ky," she mumbled into her hair. "You're my favorite illegitimate half sister and, for some inexplicable reason, I love you. But you are driving me absolutely freaking crazy."

"I know, I'm sorry." Kyla's voice was muffled against her sister's shoulder. "I'll do better, I swear. Just don't kick me out again."

"Don't worry, you're not going anywhere." _I am._

-

"Okay, okay! I'm coming!" Spencer shouted. She had been in a foul mood ever since Ashley had left and now some inconsiderate ass was pounding on her door in the middle of dinner. She wrenched the door open, fully prepared to yell at whoever was on the other side when she came face to face with Ashley, who was grinning and bouncing excitedly on her heels. Considering how she'd left, this was most unexpected. "Ash, what's going on?"

"You and me, Boston. Let's do it."

**TBC**


	2. Domestic Bliss

**Title: Growing Up (Falling Down) 2/23**

**Author: xperimental**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Disclaimer: I don't own South Of Nowhere. But I wish I did.**

**Pairing: Spencer/Ashley**

**Summary: The end of high school is only the beginning of the rest of their lives…(OMG, I'm so lame. cringe)**

* * *

**Chapter 2 - Domestic Bliss.**

Spencer was stunned. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"If you think I'm saying that I want to move to Boston to you, then yes."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously," Ashley confirmed, laughing when Spencer threw herself into her arms.

"But how, why?" Spencer stuttered, unable to comprehend the news. Ashley was an LA girl, through and through.

"Well, I've been thinking about it and I think that you have the right idea about getting out of LA. I mean, Kyla is on the verge of driving me to sistercide and I already know how much it would suck without you here, so…"

"But what about your job?"

"You mean songwriting? I can do that anywhere. Look, this is perfect. I was thinking that we can get our own place in Boston, that way you won't get stuck in some tiny ass dorm with annoying roommates and you wouldn't have to worry about how you're going to pay for stuff like the other poor college kids."

"Okay, okay," Spencer stopped her mid-ramble. "I'm sold, you don't need to convince me." Ashley let herself relax now that the pressure was off. "You have to convince my parents."

Oh crap.

-

As it happened, Paula and Arthur didn't take much convincing. They'd long since made their peace with the idea of Spencer going to college out of state, she'd made her preference for it clear back when she was applying to Emerson, and they were actually relieved to learn that their little girl wouldn't be alone in the big unfamiliar city.

And so, once the intense pressure of finals had eased and the celebrations of graduation had passed, the four caught a flight (generously paid for by a certain teenage millionaire, of course) to Boston to visit the college of Spencer's choice and go apartment hunting.

"I really think that you're going to like this one," the real estate agent, a thirtysomething bottle redhead that insisted she be called Annie, said as she unlocked the door. Ashley took that with a grain of salt, she already heard it at every other apartment they'd seen that day.

"It's cozy," Annie continued, leading the foursome in. "This is the living room, kitchen's on the other side of the counter." She pointed to a set of glass French doors. "There's a small balcony through those doors, perfect to have brunch on."

_Do we really look like the kind of people that have brunch?_ Ashley asked herself. She turned to the blonde at her side and noticed that the girl seemed rather enamored by the place.

"And up this hallway is the bathroom, a spare room that could easily be converted into a study and the bedroom. Would you like to take a look?"

"Sure," Ashley put a guiding arm around Spencer's waist and led her away from where she was admiring the view from the glass doors to the balcony. "So what do you think?" she asked quietly, after checking that Arthur and Paula had Annie occupied.

"I really like it," Spencer admitted, not wanting to give too much away and influence Ashley's decision. "How about you?"

"I'm reserving my judgment until I see the bedroom." To Ashley, it was the most important room in any home.

So after Annie showed them the bathroom, emphasizing the fact that it had a shower and a tub, and the spare room, they moved on to the bedroom. "This is actually the largest room in the apartment," she informed the group. Just the way Ashley liked it. Despite the fact that she could fit the whole apartment inside the kitchen of her loft, Ashley had to admit that she liked it. It was…cozy and the thought of her and Spencer living there together made her feel all warm inside.

While the adults talked about trivial things like rent and utilities, Ashley tuned them out as she often did when it came to conversations about money. It didn't matter, whatever it cost, she could afford it.

"So?" Spencer asked, looking at her with hopeful eyes.

"I love it."

"Me too. It's perfect."

Ashley hugged Spencer to her and leaned her forehead against the blonde's. "We're going to live together."

Spencer smiled adoringly at her. "I know. Are you sure that you want to do this?"

Ashley smirked and loudly announced, "We'll take it."

"Are you two really sure this is the one you want?" Paula asked cautiously, a little put off by the fact that the apartment came unfurnished.

"It is. It's big enough for the both of us and only a few blocks from the building where I'll be taking most of my film classes, it's perfect, Mom."

"Well, alright," Annie said with a satisfied smile. She opened up her briefcase and withdrew a file. "Now, we're going to need the first and last months rent in advance and the mandatory safety deposit." She turned to Spencer's parents. "I assume you two will be taking care of that-"

"Why?" Ashley interrupted. She didn't like the idea that this woman didn't think that she could take care of Spencer.

"Well, sweetheart, it's quite a lot of money and you're already taking on a large financial responsibility with the rent-"

"Okay, I don't mean to be rude but I own my own place in LA, I have a car that cost more than you make in a year and I have a job where I make a ridiculous amount of money for doing something I'd do for free. And even if I didn't have that job, the millions of dollars sitting in my bank account would still allow me to more than afford the rent on this place. So, trust me when I say, I've got it."

Annie looked stunned, why had nobody told her that her client was a teenage millionaire? If she had know she would've been showing them the more upscale and expensive property on her list. "Of course, I'm sorry for the assumption," she groveled, not wanting to lose the deal. She handed the papers to Ashley for her to look over.

Ashley felt a familiar pair of blue eyes watching her and when she looked up over the top of the papers, she saw Spencer staring at her with an indecipherable look in her eyes. "What?" she asked, hoping that Spencer wasn't mad about her arrogant outburst.

"I am so turned on right now."

Guess not.

-

"Ashley, do you have any idea how much money you spent today?" Spencer asked, closing the door on the last of the delivery men.

"Nope." Ashley flopped down on their brand new couch and waved her platinum American Express card around. "That's the beauty of having ones of these."

With only a week before school started, the girls had made the trip back to Boston to furnish their new apartment and transfer some of their belongings that wouldn't fit into the trunk of Ashley's Porsche.

So they'd spent the morning at Best Buy picking out various appliances. It was certainly a new experience for Spencer to be able to just point to something and say "I want that." without even looking at the price tag. They'd come out with a new refrigerator, microwave, huge plasma screen tv with surround sound, dvd player and a powerful new laptop for Spencer to use for school. In fact, they spent so much in that one store, Spencer knew that they easily exceeded 10 000, the delighted salesman even threw in a free Xbox 360 and two games.

After lunch and all the electrical equipment had been delivered and set up, the pair headed, much to Ashley's disgust, to the nearest IKEA for furniture. And so a desk, couch, arm chairs, king sized bed and a couple of bookshelves were added to the bill.

Now Ashley, despite all her initial protests, seemed to be quite enjoying the new sofa. So much so that she appeared to be falling asleep. And while Spencer could understand that they'd had a long day, if they wanted to get everything done then there was no time for resting. "Are you going to lay there all day?"

"Yes," Ashley replied, burying her face in a newly purchased throw cushion.

Spencer shook her head and tugged on her girlfriend's foot. "No." She grabbed the pillow off the older girl's face.

"Huh? Why not?"

"Well, that bed isn't going to put itself together." Spencer smirked at Ashley's stricken expression.

"You want me to do it?" She couldn't believe what she was hearing, did Spencer actually want her to perform manual labor? Did she not get the memo? _I did not sign up for this._

The blonde dropped down to sit in her confused girlfriend's lap. "I'm no good at that kind of thing," she confessed.

"And you think I am?"

"You can't be worse than me! The last time I tried to put something from Ikea together, I put the shelves in wrong and everything kept sliding off them. Glen made fun of me for weeks." Wrapping her arms around the older girl's neck, Spencer leaned in to speak softly into Ashley's ear, her voice taking on a considerably more seductive tone. "And you don't want a bed that'll fall apart under stress, do you? Besides." Her tongue flicked out against the shell of the brunette's ear. "The sooner you put it together, the sooner we get to christen it."

Watching the understanding dawning on Ashley's face was quite a sight. "Oh. You mean...ohhhh!" She jumped up, gently depositing the Spencer on the couch. "I'm on it!" she announced, hightailing it to the bedroom.

Spencer relaxed back on the couch and turned on the new tv. She gave Ashley five minutes before she came begging for help.

-

As it turned out, Ashley didn't need her help at all. After ten minutes of cursing and trying to figure out where the fuck Slot B was, she threw (ripped into tiny pieces) the instructions away and figured it out for herself. Ashley was probably more surprised than anyone to find that she was quite the savant when it came to assembling Swedish designed furniture. The only thing left for Spencer to do was put the sheets on and that's when she realized that they forgot to get any.

"Well," Ashley huffed, jumping up and down on the newly constructed bed like a five year old on a sugar high. "Let's christen this bitch!"

"Not yet." Ashley halted mid jump and fell on her ass, pouting. "We'll stain the mattress!" Spencer explained. "Besides we still need to go grocery shopping."

"Grocery shopping?" Now Ashley was just confused.

"Ash, please tell me that you've been shopping for groceries before." Again, Spencer was struck by just how different her girlfriend's upbringing was from her own.

"Never had too." Ashley shrugged, looking bewildered. "I just wrote what I wanted down on a list and then the next day when I opened the fridge it would be there."

Spencer titled her head, looking at the older girl as though she was from another planet. "But how did the food get there?"

"The food elves," Ashley said seriously, before bursting into laughter at the look on the blonde's face. "Just kidding. I think that we paid someone to do it. I mean, can you imagine my mother pushing a shopping cart?" The mental image sent her into a fresh round of giggles.

Spencer took a seat on the edge of the bed and caught Ashley's chin, making sure that she had the brunette's full attention. "Ashley, we are not going to pay someone to buy food for us."

"You mean we actually have to do it ourselves?" _But it looks so boring on tv!_

"Yes, we are adults now and we have to go to the store ourselves, like every other normal person on the planet." She was going to get Ashley to grow up if it killed her.

"Normal is so overrated."

**TBC**


	3. Don't Fight It

**Title: Growing Up (Falling Down) 3/23**

**Author: xperimental**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Fandom: South Of Nowhere**

**Pairing: Spencer/Ashley**

**Summary: The end of high school is only the beginning of the rest of their lives…**

* * *

**Chapter 3 - Don't Fight It**

"I hate you," Kyla muttered, sidling up to her sister during a quite moment at the going away party the Carlins were throwing.

"What for this time?" Ashley wasn't at all concerned, Kyla said this at least once a week.

"You put the stupid idea of me and Glen in my head and now I can't get it out!"

"So?"

"So?" Kyla gasped. "Look at him!" She pointed at Spencer's older brother who was rolling around on the living room carpet doing his best Slash impression while failing badly at Guitar Hero.

Ashley rolled her eyes at her sister's shallowness. "Come on, Ky. He's just blowing off steam, I'd say he deserves it." Just when the poor guy was getting his life together his girlfriend dumps him to run off to go to art school in Paris. Not cool. "And who cares if he's a little goofy, he's a nicer guy than Jake or Aiden. I think you'd be good for each other." _Plus, you both have that whole ex drug addict thing going on._

"But when you and Spencer get married, he'll be like my brother-in-law or something. I'm pretty sure that's illegal." Suddenly, Kyla realized what she'd just said and panicked. "Uh, I mean, not that you and Spencer are going to get married. That's a huge commitment-"

"Wait, you don't think Spence and I are going to get married?" Ashley asked, looking rather upset at the prospect.

"No! I do. It's just that the last time I mentioned it, you freaked out and didn't talk to her for two days…" Kyla paused and studied her sister closely. "But you're not freaking out now, so maybe we should just forget that we ever had this conversation."

"I'm not freaking out," Ashley repeated, a little puzzled herself. "Huh." Usually the idea of that level of commitment, to anyone, filled her with overwhelming panic. But no, there was nothing except a kind of pleasant, peaceful feeling.

Kyla took Ashley's bewildered expression as a sign that she was about to go into one of her moods and shrank away. "Please don't hurt me."

"I'm not going to hurt you, Ky," Ashley said, patiently. "I'm trying to be a better person, remember?"

"Oh yeah! Sorry, I forgot, since you covered my toothbrush with shampoo this morning."

"Actually, it was conditioner and I didn't do that to be mean. I was teaching you a lesson before I go."

"No more homeless people in your house while you're gone," Kyla droned. "I told you, I've got it."

"Good. Just to make sure, I asked Glen to keep an eye on you while I'm away."

"Ashley!"

"Don't fight it, Ky." Ashley smirked, watching Glen shove another handful of Cheetos in his mouth. "You know you want a piece of that."

Kyla looked at Glen as he tried to lick the orange crumbs off his chin. "Ew." She noticed Spencer waving from across the room to try and get her sister's attention. "Ash, I think your woman wants you."

"She always wants me," Ashley replied, signaling to her girlfriend that she'd seen her and would be there in a minute. She turned back to her sister. "Seriously, Ky, I think that you should give Glen a chance, as a friend, if nothing else. I mean, who else are you going to hang out with while we're gone?"

"I have other friends," Kyla protested. Ashley stared her down. "I do!"

-

"What's up, Spence?" Ashley asked, wrapping her arms around her girlfriend's waist. "Getting cold feet?"

"Not a chance. My mom wants you to help her in the kitchen." Spencer grinned as Ashley groaned and buried her face in her neck.

"Why?"

"I imagine that she's going to give you a stern lecture about taking care of me."

"Oh." Ashley lifted her head and pouted. "Do I have to go in there?" She looked towards the closed door to the kitchen with an exaggerated look of fear.

"Yes."

The brunette sighed heavily. "One last kiss in case I don't make it back?"

Spencer rolled her eyes but rewarded her girlfriend with a quick peck before shoving her away. Ashley gave one last sorrowful look back at the blonde and walked away, looking like a woman going to her execution. Sure, Paula was cool with her now but Ashley had never had one of these kinds of talks before and she was all kinds of nervous.

She poked her head through the door and was mildly surprised to see Paula arranging a plate of finger food instead of sharpening a knife like she'd been imagining. "Spencer said you wanted to see me," she said, meekly.

"Oh, Ashley, could you hand me that bowl?" Well, that certainly wasn't what Ashley was expecting her to say.

"Uh…sure." Ashley collected the large plastic bowl and handed it to Paula to fill with more Cheetos.

"You know that it's going to be your responsibility to take care of her now, don't you?" Paula asked casually, not even looking up from what she was doing. Somehow, this just made Ashley even more nervous.

"Yes! And I want you to know that I take that responsibility very seriously, Mrs. C. I'll make sure that she does her homework and eats her vegetables and gets plenty of sleep..." _What else do normal parents tell their kids to do? Think Ashley, think! _ "And, um, washes behind her ears-"

"I'm glad to hear that, Ashley." _That's it? She's glad to hear it? No death threats? _ Paula handed the gobsmacked girl the bowl full of delicious orange snacks. "Now could you take that out to Glen?"

Not knowing why she was getting off so lightly but smart enough not to look a gift horse in the mouth, Ashley quickly agreed. "I can do that."

-

The morning after the party, and after what seemed like a million tearful goodbyes, they hit the road in Ashley's Porsche. It took them a day longer than expected to reach Boston after they had gotten lost somewhere in Iowa when Ashley's 'just drive in the general direction of your destination' style of navigating had shockingly failed them.

But they finally made it to their new home, at fifteen minutes to midnight, two days before Spencer's classes were due to start.

"God, it's freaking freezing here!" Ashley complained after having to change into one of the few non-midriff baring, long sleeved shirts she owned. Obviously, her wardrobe was going to need a complete overhaul to compensate for the cooler climate.

"Don't be such a baby," Spencer chastised playfully, she was perfectly comfortable parading around in just a t-shirt and jeans.

"Easy for you to say," Ashley huffed. "You're used to the cold. You used to live in an igloo."

"Ashley," Spencer said patiently. "I'm from Ohio, not Alaska."

"Same difference. It still snowed there, didn't it?"

Spencer sighed, she knew that this wasn't an argument she was going to win. "You know, I'm not used to seeing you in so much clothing," she teased, tugging on the bottom of Ashley's shirt.

"Oh haha." The brunette pouted but willingly let herself be pulled into her girlfriend's arms.

"Ash?" Spencer asked after a moment.

"Hmm?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"You just did."

"I'm being serious."

"Okay, okay, serious time. Got it."

Spencer smiled and gathered her courage to ask the question that had been burning within her ever since they'd started moving in. "Can we get a cat?"

Ashley pulled back, wondering if she had maybe misheard Spencer somehow. "A what?"

"A cat. Or, well, a kitten, really. I've always wanted one but we weren't allowed to have pets when we were growing up because Clay was so allergic. Like, seriously allergic, one whiff of animal fur and he'd be sneezing for a week. Anyway, now that we've got our own place, I just thought that it'd be nice, you know. And this way you'll have something to keep you company while I'm in class."

Ashley, completely enamored by Spencer's adorable rambling, actually found herself seriously considering the idea. She vaguely remembered the time when she was nine and one of her family's maid's cats had kittens. The maid gave her one and Little Ashley had loved it. She'd even given it a name; Boy Cat. Okay, so it wasn't a good name but she had never been very good at naming things. She had managed to keep Boy Cat alive and hidden for a week before Christine had discovered him after he peed in a pair of her Jimmy Choos. The next day Boy Cat was gone and Ashley was forbidden from owning any living thing. It surely was a tragic tale. "Of course we can get a kitten," she agreed easily, surprising the blonde. "We can go to the pet store tomorrow."

"Actually, I was thinking we could adopt one from the animal shelter."

"Okay, then we'll go to the animal shelter tomorrow."

Ashley was rewarded with an adorable smile and a deep kiss (with extra tongue!) "Oh my god, thank you!"

"You know," Ashley began slyly. "If you really want to thank me-"

She hadn't even finished the sentence before Spencer grabbed her by the arm and dragged her to the bedroom.

**TBC**


	4. Pussytown

**Title: Growing Up (Falling Down) 4/23**

**Author: xperimental**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Disclaimer: I don't own South Of Nowhere. But I wish I did.**

**Pairing: Spencer/Ashley**

**Summary: The end of high school is only the beginning of the rest of their lives…**

* * *

**Chapter 4 - Pussytown.**

"It's actually really good that you came this time of year," the middle-aged shelter attendant said, as she led the young couple back to where the kittens were kept. "We're usually overfilled and this year's no different. And you're in luck, a new litter just became available."

Ashley was only half-listening to the woman prattle on, while Spencer was giving her her full attention. After all, she was raised to believe that it was rude not to listen when someone was speaking. Ashley, on the other hand, was too busy trying not to gag from the strong smell of disinfectant and cat pee to even pretend to have manners.

"Here we go," the woman, whose name tag identified as Deb, said, opening the door. "Watch your step."

_Now entering Pussytown,_ Ashley thought, laughing silently at herself as she took in the room that was literally full of baby cats. _Hee, I crack myself up._

She hung back, content to watch Spencer coo over pretty much ever kitten that was there. Ashley had no idea how the blonde was going to be able to pick just one. "What the hell?" she muttered, feeling a persistent nudging against her foot. She looked down to see a tiny russet colored kitten repeatedly bumping it's head against her ankle. "Well, hi there." The kitten looked up, seemingly pleased to finally have the brunette's attention. Ashley bent down and scooped the cat up in one hand and cradled it close to her chest. Immediately, the kitten started to purr and rub it's head against the underside of her chin.

"I think she likes you," Deb observed, drawing Spencer's attention away from the kittens she was jangling her keys around in front of.

"Awww!" she gasped, taking in the heartmelting sight. "Don't move." She pulled her phone out and prepared to take a picture to send to everyone she knew.

"Spencer, no pictures!" Ashley whined.

"Smile," the blonde demanded. Ashley complied instantly, because, as much as she'd protest being called it, she was as whipped as a horse that's just won the Kentucky Derby. "That is so cute!" Spencer squeaked, saving the picture she'd just snapped and slipping her phone back into the pocket of her jeans. She knelt down and picked up the grey kitten she'd been playing with before she was distracted by the utter adorableness that was Ashley cuddling a kitten. "I know that we only talked about getting one-" she began, her puppy dog eyes already in full effect.

"We can get them both," Ashley said, not looking up from the kitten purring in her arms as she stroked it under it's chin.

"Really?"

"Yeah, it says on our lease that we can have up to three small pets, so that's not a problem. Not that I'm saying we can get three, just these two. They can keep each other company while we are-" Ashley looked up at Spencer with a look in her eyes that can only be described as salacious. "-otherwise occupied."

"It is a good idea to keep brother and sister together," Deb informed them, clueless of the moment she was butting into and trampling all over. "If you've made your decision, we can go into the front office and get all the paperwork organized."

"Sure." Ashley held her free hand out for Spencer to take as they left the room.

-

"Are you sure that you've got enough stuff there, Ash?" Spencer asked mockingly as her girlfriend added another cat toy to the pile of accessories already on the counter. While Deb was on the computer getting everything organized, Ashley had taken it upon herself to buy out the entirety of the limited stock of pet supplies the shelter had.

"Just two more things," Ashley assured her girlfriend, holding up two cat collars; one zebra print for her cat and the other royal blue for Spencer's.

"Okay," Deb interrupted again, placing two forms down on the counter. "Let's get these registration forms filled out, then we can change the information on their microchips to match your details. So, first of all, what are you going to call them?"

Spencer looked to Ashley to go first but the older girl just held her hands up and shook her head. "Don't look at me, Spence. I suck at naming things. The best I can come up with is Girl Cat."

Spencer, not wanting to burden the poor innocent kitten with such a ridiculous name, took over the naming responsibility. "Um, well, we'll call her-" She picked up the reddish brown kitten and studied her. She even kind of looked like Ashley in a weird way. "A.J."

Deb nodded approvingly, writing it down on the form. "Lovely. Is it short for anything?"

Sneaking a quick look at her girlfriend and finding her occupied with testing out the cat toys she'd decided to purchase, decided it was safe to answer. "Ashley Junior," she whispered conspiratorially.

"Ah, gotcha. So what about him?"

"Um, I think I'll name him…Luca."

Ashley, who finally tuned back into their conversation, chortled. "I can tell someone was a fan of the Baby-sitters Club movie, growing up." She watched as Spencer's face started rapidly turning red. "Hey, no need to be embarrassed, I loved that movie."

"You did?" Spencer was understandably skeptical.

"Sure, it was full of hot, age appropriate, girls. What's not too like? Besides, Kristy was a total dyke."

"Oh," mused Spencer. "So that's why I liked that movie so much."

Ashley rolled her eyes. "How did you not know you were gay before you met me? Seriously."

-

"I thought that getting animals from shelters was supposed to be cheaper," Ashley complained as they drove home. "I just spent close to a thousand bucks."

"And half of that were the toys and stuff that you insisted that they just had to have," Spencer reminded her.

"So I don't want them scratching up the furniture when they're bored, is that a crime?" She pulled to a stop as the light turned red and looked over at Spencer who was holding the sleeping kittens in her lap. Suddenly she started to giggle.

"What's so funny?" Spencer asked, wanting to be let in on the joke.

Ashley got a hold of herself. "Nothing."

"No, you can't do that. You can't just crack up out of nowhere and then not tell me what you're laughing at."

Seeing that her girlfriend was starting to get upset, Ashley relented. "It's stupid. I was just thinking that now that we're living together and have cats, we're pretty much the lesbian equivalent to being married with kids."

Spencer was quiet and Ashley worried that she'd upset her until a contented smile spread across the blonde's face. "That doesn't sound too bad."

Feeling strangely at peace with the idea, Ashley agreed. "No, it really doesn't."

**TBC**


	5. Life In Motion

**Title: Growing Up (Falling Down) 5/23**

**Author: xperimental**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Fandom: South Of Nowhere**

**Pairing: Spencer/Ashley**

**Summary: The end of high school is only the beginning of the rest of their lives…**

* * *

**Chapter 5 - Life In Motion.**

"Are you absolutely sure that you don't want me to come?" Ashley asked for the fifth time that morning. She was very nearly starting to get on Spencer's nerves.

"For the hundredth time, yes! I'm a big girl, Ash, I don't need my girlfriend there holding my hand." Spencer dumped her empty bowl in the sink, assuming that someone else would take care of it. "It's just orientation."

Ashley rounded the counter and took Spencer's hands in her own and started swinging their joined hands between them. "And what if I want to be there holding my girlfriend's hand?"

Spencer sighed and kissed her softly. "That's sweet but no. Look, in a few days you can walk me to all the classes you want but today is something I have to do alone."

"Okay, fine," Ashley relented. After all, she knew all about having to do things alone. "I can understand that."

"Thank you." Spencer kissed the tip of her girlfriend's nose and pulled away. "Now, I really have to get going cause I don't want to be late."

"What happened to 'It's just orientation'?" Ashley mocked, smirking. Spencer ignored her and slung her messenger bag over her shoulder.

"Have you got everything?" Ashley fussed as she walked the younger girl to the door. Spencer nodded absently. "Are you sure?" she pressed.

"Yes, mom." Spencer threw her arms around Ashley's neck. "Stop worrying, it's going to be fine. Now, kiss me goodbye."

"If I have to," Ashley mumbled against Spencer's full lips before pushing the blonde back against the door and deepening the kiss.

A few moments later, Spencer pulled back, panting. "I really have to-"

Ashley cut her off with her lips. "Go?"

"Mmhmm." Spencer couldn't help leaning in for one more soft kiss. "Love you," she rasped, pressing her forehead against the brunette's, who still had her eyes closed.

"Love you too." Ashley opened her eyes and pulled back. "And you need to go."

"Right," Spencer agreed, self-consciously smoothing down her mussed hair. She opened the door. "Bye."

"Bye." Impulsively, Ashley slapped the blonde's ass as she exited the apartment. Spencer looked back and glared at her. "Don't get lost!" she ordered. "I don't think I can replace you!"

Spencer waved at her before disappearing down the stairs.

Sighing, Ashley closed the door and turned around to be met with two curious kittens staring up at her. If they weren't so cute she would've thought it was creepy. "I guess it's just us now, you guys."

-

It was mid-afternoon and Ashley was bored. She was getting to know just how boring the place was without her adorable girlfriend around to keep her occupied. She'd already played with the kittens until they were worn out and curled up to go to sleep, then she went to a run through the park that was less than a block away from their house. She'd even washed the dishes from breakfast! _You only need to rinse the crap off them, right?_ Now she was parked on the couch trying to remember what she used to do back in LA when she was bored, other than annoy Kyla. _Kyla! That's it!_

Ashley grabbed her phone and called her favorite illegitimate half sister.

Kyla answered after only two rings. Unusual. "Hello?"

"Hey, Ky. You busy?"

Ashley heard the sound of a magazine being tossed away on the other end of the line. "Not anymore. You do know that this is the first time you've called me since you moved, right?"

Ashley winced. After a year, she was still get used to the whole having a family member that actually cared about her thing. "Sorry. Me and Spence have been busy with-"

"I don't need to hear about my sister's sex life. I've already heard enough from every night Spencer spent at the loft."

"Yeah, she's a screamer," Ashley said dreamily. "Anyway, that's not what I was going to say."

"Oh really?" From her tone, it was obvious that Kyla didn't believe her. Ashley wasn't going to lie, it hurt.

"Yes! I was going to say that we've been busy getting settled in. You need to get your mind out of the gutter."

"Oh. You know I was reading Spencer's blog, I can't believe that you've got cats now!" The blog was Spencer's idea on how to keep in better touch with her family while in Boston. As soon as they'd arrived home the other day, she was on the computer blogging about the new additions. She even put up photos! Including the one she'd snapped of Ashley holding A.J. So embarrassing. "I guess you're fully domesticated now."

"Shut up," Ashley mumbled.

"No, seriously," Kyla continued, ignoring her sister. "Isn't having cats like having kids for lesbians?"

"Way to stereotype, Ky." Never mind that she'd made pretty much the same joke only a day ago. "How's things with Glen?"

Kyla groaned but allowed the subject to be changed. "Ash, I told you-"

"Blah, blah, just friends, don't want Madison's sloppy seconds, I know. I've heard it all before. But I also know that you two have been spending a lot of time together since I left."

"Wait, how did you know that?" Kyla suddenly felt paranoid. "Do you have people spying on me?"

Ashley considered stringing her sister along for a bit but thought the better of it. "Paula told Spencer and she told me."

"He's been helping me out at the homeless shelter, that's all."

"Homeless shelter? Kyla, you promised!"

"I promised not to bring them home with me," Kyla argued.

Ashley groaned and started massaging her temples. "You know, Ky, if you really want to do some good and help people you should talk to Mr. C about it."

"Why?" Kyla didn't know what Spencer's dad had to do with anything.

"Because he's a social worker."

"Oh! Really?"

"Yes, what did you think he did?"

"I thought he was a chef."

"Why would you-" Ashley stopped mid sentence, remembering that it seemed like every time her sister saw Mr. C, he was cooking something. "Never mind. Just talk to him."

"Fine." Kyla huffed. "And just so you know, nothing is going to happen with Glen."

"If you say so…"

"I do," Kyla said sharply. "Hey, have you heard from Aiden?"

"No, why would I?" Ashley asked, rolling her eyes. Why did so many conversations have to revolve around that dipstick?

"Well, you did use to be best friends with the guy."

"So? Life moves on. People lose touch with their friends from high school, it happens all the time." Particularly if one of those friends turned out to be a manipulative douchebag.

"So you don't miss him, not even a little?"

Ashley let herself think about it. Sure, she kind of missed having a guy friend that she could talk about girls with, but other than that…"Is that so hard to believe? Because I don't. The only time I think about him now is when you bring him up."

"Oh. Okay," Kyla said glumly.

Ashley started when A.J suddenly hopped up onto her chest to curl up on her boobs and started purring. She started petting the kitten's soft fur and decided that Kyla's dejected tone needed further investigating. "Have you heard from him?" she asked, out of obligation.

"He sent me a letter the other day…it said that he was doing better. He's working as a personal trainer now."

"That's…nice."

"He said that he didn't want to see me anymore. He wants to put everything that happened in high school behind him and move on with his new life."

"I told you!" _Okay, that wasn't very sensitive._ "Uh, I mean, it's good that he's moving on and now you can do the same thing…with Glen."

"Ashley!" growled Kyla, not knowing that Ashley had stopped paying attention the second Spencer had entered the apartment, gushing about her day.

"Spencer's home, I'll call you later, Ky." Ashley flipped her phone shut and jumped up off the couch, dislodging a very put out A.J, to greet her girlfriend.

"-and there were all these people handing out fliers for things! And I had to get so many books. The shop was totally packed, that's why I'm so late," Spencer rambled as she paced the apartment with a multicolored bunch of fliers clutched in one hand.

"Spence." Ashley stepped in front of the blonde and took a hold of her shoulders to halt her momentum. "Hi."

Spencer allowed herself to catch her breath and smiled adorably. "Hi."

"Okay, how about we go out to dinner and you can tell me all about your day. Sound good?"

Spencer nodded, she was starving! "I need to get changed."

"I'll make the reservations."

-

"Even the atmosphere is different from high school," Spencer said, after finishing up the last of her cashew chicken. Deciding to play it safe, Ashley had made dinner reservations at a nearby Chinese restaurant that they'd ordered take out from a few nights earlier. "It's so…I don't know. Accepting? Nobody is a freak or an outcast and everyone's there because they actually want to learn. And there are all these student groups…I'm thinking about joining the GSA."

"Is that one of those sororities with the funky letters?" Ashley joked, spearing a piece of carrot from her sweet and sour pork and popping it in her mouth.

"No, it's the Gay Straight Alliance."

Ashley started choking on her carrot and quickly had to wash it down with a mouthful of her iced tea. "Do you really think that's a good idea?" she asked, once recovered.

"Why wouldn't it be?" _Uh-oh, Spencer's getting riled up. _"This isn't going to be like it was in high school, Ash. I told you that."

"No, I know. I'm just saying that maybe you shouldn't go committing yourself to anything before you have a better idea of what your workload is going to be like this year. I don't want you getting too overwhelmed."

"Oh." Spencer let herself relax. "I guess you're right."

"Always am," Ashley said smugly. "So you'll wait before joining anything?"

"I will."

-

"You know, I'm kinda glad we live in a building without an elevator. Climbing these stairs is a great way to burn off the calories from eating take out all the time," Ashley informed Spencer as they reached the top of the second flight of stairs and exited onto their floor.

"Well we wouldn't have to eat take out so much if a certain someone knew how to cook," Spencer teased.

"You're talking about you, right?" Ashley suggested cheekily. "Cause I totally know how to cook. I make the world's best cereal."

Spencer snorted and rested back against the door to their apartment as Ashley tried to find her keys. "Ash, anyone can make cereal."

"Ha! That's what you think. The truth is, making cereal is an exact science hinging on the milk to cereal ratio. It all depends on the variables, like if there's marshmallows, or if it's flakes or oats-"

"I'll take your word for it," Spencer agreed, indulging her girlfriend before she could fully launch into her cereal rant. If Spencer had to hear the pros and cons of Captain Crunch one more time, she was going to hurt someone.

"Aha!" Ashley cried, discovering the keys in the pocket of her leather jacket.

Opening the door, she was faced with utter devastation. Stuffing from one of the throw pillows was strewn about the living room and the curtains hanging over the french doors were dangerously lopsided, thanks to the grey kitten climbing his way up one side. "Luca, get down!" she snapped and looked to her girlfriend for back up. "Spence, control your kitten!"

Immediately, Spencer made her way across the room and plucked him from the curtains. "What about yours?" she asked rather reasonably. Surely Luca couldn't have done all this without his partner in crime.

"A.J's not even in here, obviously she had nothing to do with this."

Just then the russet kitten came padding in from the kitchen, bits of stuffing clearly stuck to her sharp baby claws. Spencer couldn't help but laugh at the expression on her girlfriend's face. Ashley was trying to be angry. Correction, she was angry. But little A.J was looking up at her with the cutest little innocent expression. And when the kitten did it's best impression of Spencer's head tilt, she finally crumbled. "I guess it really was our fault," she said, much to Spencer's amazement. "Next time we go out we should really lock them in the bathroom or something."

"Oh god!" Spencer groaned. Ashley was such a softie. "She's got you wrapped around her little paw! And I bet you'll be even worse with our kids."

"Damn straight, I'm going to spoil those bitches rotten!" Ashley said, without thinking anything of it. Spencer was stunned, could it be that Ashley was finally growing up? "Now let's go to bed, I want to have sex and you have to be up early in the morning."

Okay, maybe not.

**TBC**


	6. Look After You

**Title: Growing Up (Falling Down) 6/23**

**Author: xperimental**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Fandom: South Of Nowhere**

**Pairing: Spencer/Ashley**

**Summary: The end of high school is only the beginning of the rest of their lives…**

* * *

**Chapter 6 - Look After You**

It'd didn't matter what Ashley said about them, Spencer hated the stairs. Three weeks in and classes were starting to pick up. Her bag was packed with heavy books that weighed her down as she made her way up the stairs and she could already feel the beginnings of a headache building. And it didn't help that the second she walked in the door, Ashley was there waving a jar of money in her face.

"What is that?"

"Money!" Ashley chirped, forcing Spencer down onto the couch so she could listen to her amazing tale. "Okay, so I couldn't write all cooped up in here and I was going kinda crazy, so I took my guitar down to the park and while I was playing people just started throwing money in my guitar case! And suddenly it hit me; this is the perfect way to test public reaction to my songs before I send them to the label." She emptied the jar out onto the coffee table she was sitting on. "Plus, it's a great source of pocket money, there's almost thirty dollars there."

"That's…great, Ash."

"Wow. You know, I can practically feel your excitement."

Spencer laughed and dropped her head into her hands. "Sorry. I'm just a little tense. It's been a long day."

Ashley transferred from the coffee table to the couch. "Tense, huh?" She started kissing Spencer's exposed neck. "I can take care of that."

"I have homework."

"Just give me ten minutes."

"Ash."

"Okay, fifteen." Her hand stealthily made it's way up the inside of the blonde's thigh. "You know you want to," she teased huskily.

How could Spencer possibly refuse her after that? She was only human after all.

-

"Ughhhhh…"

The sound woke Ashley from her dream about sex robots. She rolled over, rubbing her bleary eyes, to find Spencer curled up in the fetal position on the edge of her side of the bed. _When did she put clothes on?_ "Okay, those are not the kind of groans that I like hearing from you in bed. Period pain?" Ashley knew that Spencer didn't often get it but when she did, it was a big fucking deal, she was pretty much incapacitated.

"Bah, sometimes I hate being a girl."

"I'm glad you're a girl." Ashley shifted closer and spooned her girlfriend. "Want me to give you a backrub?"

Spencer half heartedly shook her head. "Nah, I need to get up and go to school. I'll be okay in a minute."

"We both know that that's not true. No, Spence, you're not going to class. I'm taking a stand."

"But-"

"But nothing. You haven't missed a single class in three weeks. You can take one day off."

Spencer was in too much pain to argue. Truth was, she wasn't exactly relishing the thought of dragging her sorry ass out of bed. "If you insist."

"Okay." Ashley untangled herself from her girlfriend and pushed back the covers. "I am going to get you some Tylenol and then you are going to go into the bathroom and get yourself cleaned up. When you come out, there will be a bed made up on the couch and hot chocolate waiting for you. I figured we could veg out and watch dvds all day. That cool with you?"

Spencer managed to smile at her thoughtful girlfriend. "You might want to put some clothes on first," she said, reminding Ashley that she was indeed naked.

Ashley pouted and hopped out of bed. "You don't like the view?" Suddenly she realized just how chilly it was in the apartment. "Never mind. I gonna put some clothes on."

-

True to her word, Ashley had made up a comfy looking nest on the sofa and two steaming cups of hot chocolate with extra marshmallows were waiting on the coffee table when Spencer staggered into the room.

"Okay, what do you feel like watching?" Ashley asked, holding up two boxed sets. "Season one of Buffy or season one of Dawson's Creek?" _Please choose Buffy, please choose Buffy, please choose Buffy._ Ashley hated Dawson's Creek, she despised it with a passion. But it was one of Spencer's favorite shows and, for that reason alone, she was willing to submit herself to the torture of watching it. Again.

"Dawson's Creek, please."

_Goddamnit._ Ashley hung her head and loaded the first disc into the dvd player. She knew it was her own fault, they literally had hundreds of dvds in their collective collection, but no, she had to give Spencer the option of watching Dawson's fucking Creek.

As the cringeworthy theme song started playing, Ashley positioned herself behind Spencer on the couch, and arranged the blankets over them. After making sure that they were both comfortable, she touched her hands to the blonde's stomach and gently urged her to lean back against her. "This okay?" she double-checked, lightly massaging the younger girl's abdomen. She felt, more than saw, Spencer nod into her neck.

"Mmmhmm."

"Good."

-

Many hours later, Ashley had reached her whiny guy with a huge forehead limit. Kissing Spencer on the cheek, she asked, "You think you're up for some dinner?"

"I think I can manage it," Spencer replied, after a moment's consideration.

"Okay, sit up." Ashley quickly extricated herself from the mass of blankets and Spencer with practiced ease and disappeared for a few minutes. Spencer wasn't too interested by this, Ashley often did it whenever they watched Dawson's Creek.

The brunette reappeared, just as the episode they'd been watching finished, and held out her hands to pull the blonde up off the couch.

"Where'd you go?"

"To run a hot bath for you to take while I get started on dinner."

Touched by her girlfriend's sweetness and already feeling emotional, Spencer was very nearly in tears when she said, "You're too good to me."

Ashley shook her head, smiling. Even she knew that that wasn't true. "Not nearly good enough." She leaned up and tenderly kissed Spencer's forehead. "Now go and have your bath before the water gets cold."

**TBC**


	7. It's A Hit

**Title: Growing Up (Falling Down) 7/23  
Author: xperimental  
Rating: PG-13  
Fandom: South Of Nowhere  
Pairing: Spencer/Ashley  
Summary: The end of high school is only the beginning of the rest of their lives…**

* * *

**Chapter 7 - It's A Hit**

"Spencer, I am not listening to Coldplay," Ashley argued. She knew it had been two weeks ago but had Spencer forgotten how good she had been to her when she was all crampy? She owed her!

"Who said I wanted to listen to Coldplay? I just want to listen to the radio," said Spencer, rather reasonably.

"And all they play on the radio is freaking Coldplay and Rihanna and I hate both. If you want to listen to music, put one of my cd's on."

Spencer couldn't help rolling her eyes. She loved her girlfriend but she had the weirdest taste in music. "I've never even heard of any of these bands." She reached over and flicked on the car radio without permission.

"What? Spencer-"

"Shhh." _Did Spencer just shush me?_ "It's Kelly Clarkson."

"Oh god," Ashley groaned, dropping her head to the steering wheel when she stopped at the red light. "I have no idea what you see in her…" she trailed off as she realized that the song playing sounded awfully familiar but figured that it was only because she'd must've heard it before when Spencer or Kyla insisted on playing Clarkson's album repeatedly. "And it's not like you haven't heard this song before."

Spencer looked at her like she'd grown another head. "It's off her new album," she said slowly. "I haven't heard it before."

Ashley frowned and listened a little closer to the song. "Then why does it sound so familiar to-" Suddenly, it hit her. "Oh my god! I wrote this!"

"What?" Spencer squealed in surprise.

"Turn it up," Ashley urged as she looked for a good place to pull the car over. "Damn, this sounds good."

"I can't believe Kelly Clarkson is singing one of your songs!" Spencer was beside herself, her favorite singer was singing a song that her girlfriend wrote. She wondered if they'd get to meet her.

"Neither can I." But for an entirely different reason.

"And that's the new one for Kelly Clarkson," the DJ announced as the song ended. "Look's like it's going to be another smash hit for the former Idol. How's this for a fun fact; that song was written by Ashley Davies, the talented daughter of the late, great Raife Davies, front man of, one of my all time favorite bands, Purple Venom. Coming up next, the latest hits from Coldplay and Rihanna, here on-"

Ashley turned the radio off and they both sat there in stunned silence. Until, "My song was on the radio."

"This is so awesome! Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't even know! I just write the songs, they don't tell me who's going to use them unless they want to make revisions. I'll call Ethan when we get home." She started the car again and was about to pull out when Spencer's hand covered her own on the gearshift. Ashley looked over at the blonde. "What?"

"Your song is on the radio."

-

"Why didn't you tell me?" Ashley asked as she paced the apartment. She was on the phone to Ethan almost the second she'd walked in the door.

"I wanted it to be a surprise."

"Believe me, it was."

"And it'll be an even bigger surprise when you get your first royalty check in a few weeks."

Ashley hadn't even thought about the money, she was too excited over the fact that people were getting to hear her music. "It'll be big?"

"If the song continues to blow up the charts like it has been and the album sells well. And, I'm not supposed to be telling you this but there's a huge advertising deal on the table, and if it goes through, you'll be getting a huge cut of the profits."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "This is amazing. I feel like it's a dream and I'm about to wake up any minute."

Ethan laughed at her. "If you think that this is a dream, wait until Madison's album comes out this Christmas. I was in the studio with her today, she sounded phenomenal."

"I can't wait."

-

For the next five weeks, Ashley was a nervous wreck waiting for her check to come. She had the radio on constantly in case they played her song, tracked it's progress up the charts (Number one for four weeks and counting, thank you very much.) and she even went out and bought Clarkson's album the day it was released and was pleasantly surprised to find two other songs she'd written on the tracklisting. And now the day had arrived and Ashley couldn't even work up the courage to open the envelope.

She was glad that Spencer was at school and couldn't see her like this. All hunched over on the couch and scared of a piece of paper. What if it was more than she was expecting? What if it was less? _Oh, fuck it._

Holding her breath, Ashley ripped open the envelope and looked at the check inside, closed it and then looked inside again. The whoop of joy she let out startled the cats and she started dancing around the room like the dork she truly was.

-

She was still bouncing off the walls when Spencer came home. "We're going out to dinner!" she said, taking the younger girl's hand and jumping up and down. "Dinner at the most expensive restaurant in town!" That's what poor people did when they got an unexpected shitload of money, wasn't it?

"Ash, I can't. I have a test tomorrow and I have to study."

"You've been studying all week," Ashley whined. "Come on, Spence. It's a special occasion."

"Oh. Did the check come?" she asked, dropping her heavy bag over the back of the couch and tossing her keys into the bowl.

Ashley nodded and shoved the check into her hands. She wanted to see Spencer's face when she read it. Spencer didn't disappoint, Ashley was sure that her eyes were going to come right out of their sockets.

"Are you sure that they didn't accidentally add an extra zero?"

"That's what I thought, at first. So I called Ethan and he said it was right. Thanks to the advertising deal that went through, I made four hundred and fifty thousand dollars from one song!" Ashley explained gleefully. "I mean, I know that's only like a quarter of what's already in my bank account." Spencer quickly did the math and came to the conclusion that it was a good thing her girlfriend was a songwriter and didn't have a job that involved numbers of any kind. "But it feels good to be earning my own money…Wow, I never thought I'd hear myself say that."

Spencer was practically glowing with pride. "Good for you, Ash."

"Exactly." Ashley grinned roguishly. "So does this mean that we're on for dinner?"

-

They did end up going for dinner, at one of the most exclusive, ridiculously expensive (thirty dollars for appetizers, Spencer was appalled.) restaurant in the city. When Spencer asked how Ashley got them a table at such short notice when it was well know that there was a three month waiting list, Ashley had simply said, "I'm Ashley Davies," as if that explained everything.

After their deliciously decadent meal, they retired back to their apartment for 'dessert'.

Ashley kissed her way up Spencer's sweaty, heaving, body until she reached the younger girl's lips. She watched Spencer as she recovered from her second earth-shattering orgasm of the evening, her blue eyes looking up at her all unfocused like as she tried to catch her breath. Ashley was overwhelmed by just how perfectly happy she was and before she knew what she was doing, the question just slipped out.

"Marry me?"

**TBC**


	8. To Have And To Hold

**Title: Growing Up (Falling Down) 8/23**

**Author: xperimental**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Fandom: South Of Nowhere**

**Pairing: Spencer/Ashley**

**Summary: The end of high school is only the beginning of the rest of their lives…**

* * *

**Chapter 8 - To Have And To Hold**

Spencer blinked rapidly as she tried to comprehend what she'd just heard. Had her commitment-phobic girlfriend just asked her to marry her? Maybe she'd heard her wrong, her head was still a little all over the place. Maybe she asked her to merry her, whatever that means. "What?"

For her part, Ashley was just as surprised as Spencer was that she'd just accidentally proposed. Maybe even more. But nothing surprised her more than just how right it felt. "Seriously. Marry me," she repeated more confidently. "I know that this isn't the most thought out or romantic proposal in the world and I don't have a ring or a big speech prepared but I just…I just know that I want this for the rest of my life. I want to be with you for the rest of my life. I want to fall asleep with you in my arms every night and wake up with you every morning. I want to do stupid, boring, normal things with you, like grocery shopping and fighting over the cereal, forever. And it's going to happen eventually, so I don't get what we're waiting for. So…what do you think?" Ashley desperately tried to get a read on what her girlfriend was feeling but Spencer's expression was closely guarded and didn't give anything away.

"Okay."

A little put off by Spencer's lack of enthusiasm, Ashley needed reassurance. "Is…is that a yes?"

"Yes, that's a yes!" Spencer dropped the act and let her real feelings out. They embraced, laughing, sharing each other's happiness. "We're engaged!"

"We are," Ashley smiled goofily at her new fiancée. "So how about I pick you up after class tomorrow and we can go looking for your ring?"

"You're not suggesting that I skip, like you usually do?" Spencer asked, pretending to be shocked.

"No, I know how important school is to you and I know that you have a test tomorrow." Oh yeah, Spencer had forgotten all about it in the excitement of the engagement. "Speaking of which." Ashley glanced over at the digital clock on the bedside table, that glowed 3:02 on it's dial. "We should be getting to sleep."

Spencer shook her head and guided Ashley's hand back between her legs. "Sleep is the last thing on my mind."

Ashley smirked, feeling the fresh wetness against her fingers. "I swear to god, you are such a pillow queen."

Spencer shrugged. She couldn't deny it. She loved being topped. "You love it."

"I really, really do."

-

The next day, Spencer exited her class feeling like the happiest woman on the planet. She had a great family, an amazing girlfriend who was now her fiancée and she was pretty sure she'd just aced her exam. Just when she thought her life couldn't get any better, she exited the building to find said amazing fiancée sitting on the hood of her car waiting for her with two coffees in hand.

"Hey baby," Ashley greeted, sliding off the hood.

"Baby?"

"I'm trying it out," she explained and held out a Starbucks cup. "White chocolate mocha frappachino, I figured you'd need a hit after your test."

Spencer took it gratefully. "I do, thank you." She kissed Ashley before taking a sip of the sweet coffee. "You're my hero."

"Eh, just think of me as your knight in slightly tarnished armor," Ashley said, holding the car door open for the blonde. "So, you ready to pick out your engagement ring, future Mrs. Davies?"

"Who says that I'll be taking your name?" Spencer teased, flopping into the Porsche's cushy leather seat.

"You're not thinking of doing the hyphenated thing, are you?" Ashley hopped over the driver's side door and slid down into her seat.

"Spencer Carlin-Davies has a certain ring to it, don't you think?"

"Sure but think of the children, Spence. It's hard enough for kids to learn to spell one name, let alone two. I was always writing my last name as Davis up until second grade."

"You want kids?" Spencer tried not to sound too surprised. It was just something that they'd never really seriously discussed.

"Yeah, someday. Not right now or anything. Oh, that's actually another thing I wanted to talk to you about. I think that we should wait until you've finished with college before we actually get married."

"Ash-"

"And it's not because I don't want to," Ashley said in a rush, not wanting Spencer to get the wrong idea and think that she was trying to back out. "I just figured that it's gonna be a load of stress getting everything organized and we're still pretty young, not too young, but your parents might see it that way-"

Spencer squeezed Ashley's knee to get her attention. "Ash, it's okay, I agree with you."

"You do?"

"Yes, just because we're engaged doesn't mean we have to rush down the aisle. And now that it's legal in California, I want to wait until we're living back at home with our families."

"Okay, cool." Ashley felt a weight evaporate from her shoulders. That went a hell of a lot better than she'd been expecting. She pulled the car to a stop outside a jewelry store. "We're here."

-

They'd been in the shop for over an hour, browsing the large selection of rings. Neither girl had anything specific in mind for Spencer's ring. They only knew what they didn't want. Nothing gaudy or huge that looked more like a Christmas tree ornament than a symbol of love and commitment. And no tacky looking black diamonds. _Seriously, why don't I just give Spencer a lump of coal. It'd be an insult, not an engagement ring, _was Ashley's opinion.

Spencer slipped the latest ring she'd tried on off her finger and shook her head. Ashley sighed as her fiancée rejected yet another perfectly good ring that Ashley could tell she really did like. She stepped up behind the blonde, grasped her by the shoulders and uttered lovingly into her ear, "I know what you're doing and you have got to stop it."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you should be looking at the rings, not the price tags, Spence. You know that it doesn't matter to me what they cost. I can afford it."

Spencer, who hadn't even realized she'd been doing that, nodded and asked the saleswoman if she could see one of the ones she'd previously tried on again. She'd loved the simple yellow gold band inlayed with 15 small princess cut pink diamonds but balked at the fifty seven thousand dollar price tag.

"You like that one?" The saleswoman asked as Spencer admired how it looked on her hand.

"I love it."

That's all Ashley needed to hear. "We'll take it." She handed over her platinum card before Spencer knew what was happening.

The saleswoman nodded. "I'll add it to your order," she said and after taking the proper measurements of Spencer's ring finger, she disappeared, with the ring, into the back room to have it resized.

"What'd she mean when she said that she'd add it to your order?"

Ashley bit her lip, smiling. _Busted. _"I, uh, was kind of in here earlier this morning and had my ring specially made," she explained, blushing.

"Ash, why didn't you tell me?"

Ashley shrugged. "I wanted it to be a surprise."

Spencer was touched, she wasn't even expecting her girlfriend to want to wear a ring, much less have one specially made.

"Here you go," The sales assistant returned and placed a black velvet box in front of each girl.

Ashley picked up hers and flipped it open to show Spencer the platinum band with a heart shaped sapphire inlayed in the centre. "The blue reminded me of your eyes," she said, bashfully.

Spencer sniffled as a tear escaped her eye and left a trail down her cheek. "Ashley," she breathed, her voice heavy with emotion. "God, I love you so much."

"I love you too." Ashley switched her open ring box for the closed one on the counter and got down on one knee. "Now, this time I'm going to do this the right way. Spencer Carlin, will you marry me?"

Spencer, too choked up to answer verbally, rapidly nodded and, to the sound of the saleswoman's applause, Ashley slipped the newly purchased ring onto her finger.

"I think this calls for a toast," the saleswoman produced a bottle of champagne and popped the cork as the two women embraced joyfully.

Ashley pulled back from the kiss and quickly popped on her own engagement ring. "I'll drink to that."

**TBC**


	9. Home For The Holidays

**Title: Growing Up (Falling Down) 9/23**

**Author: xperimental**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Fandom: South Of Nowhere**

**Pairing: Spencer/Ashley**

**Summary: The end of high school is only the beginning of the rest of their lives…**

* * *

**Chapter 9 - Home For The Holidays**

After the initial excitement of the engagement died down, Spencer and Ashley came to the agreement that they weren't going to tell anyone until they could do it in person. And so they lived in secretly engaged bliss in the weeks leading up to the holidays. Despite being ridiculously stressed about them, Spencer passed with flying colors and finished up the semester with straight A's. And now they were back in LA for Christmas break.

"So when do you think we should tell them?" Ashley asked nervously as they made their way up the Carlin's driveway.

"After dinner," Spencer said with certainty. "They'll all be high of the tryptophan in the turkey."

"The what in the turkey?" _Turkey can get you high? Why hasn't anyone ever told me about this?_

"Tryptophan, it makes you relaxed and sleepy," the blonde explained as she rang the doorbell.

"Bitchin'."

The door swung open. "Did you just say bitchin'?" Kyla laughed at her sister. "Is this the doorway back to 1995?"

Ashley rolled her eyes and hugged her sister. "You're such a 'tard."

"Hey Spencer," Kyla greeted, once she was released. "Looking good, no freshman fifteen for you, huh?" she said as she looked Spencer up and down, suddenly her eyes widened as she focused on the blonde's left hand and then darted to her sister's.

"Oh shit," Ashley groaned as comprehension dawned on her sister's face.

Kyla slapped a hand over her mouth and started squealing as she hopped up and down on the spot, pointing at Spencer's hand.

"Ky, stop it!" Ashley snapped. "Don't make me slap you."

Kyla knew that her sister wouldn't really follow through with her threat, not in front of Spencer. "But you're-" Ashley slapped a hand over her mouth and dragged her through the open doorway before anyone could overhear her.

"Engaged," she confirmed in a whisper, holding Kyla against the wall. "Yes."

"Kyla, please don't say anything," Spencer pleaded. "We're going to tell everyone after dinner and want it to be a surprise."

Kyla nodded behind Ashley's hand, which Ashley then cautiously removed. "Congratulations!" she blurted out, yanking them both into a hug. "Oh my god, I can't believe it! How? When? Who proposed to who?"

"Whoa, whoa, you can hear the whole story when we tell everyone else," said Ashley.

"Well if you want to keep it a secret until then, you might want to take off your rings. I mean, if I can figure it out-"

"She's right," Ashley told Spencer who pouted at the idea; she hadn't taken the ring off since Ashley had put it on her finger.

Ashley had just taken both rings and tucked them safely away inside her pocket when the door swung open again and Arthur walked out. "I thought I heard voices out here."

"Dad!" Spencer threw herself into her father's arms, not really realizing how much she'd missed him until that moment.

"It's good to have you home, sweetheart," Arthur said, giving her a squeeze. "You too, Ashley."

"Thanks, Mr.C."

"Now what are you doing out here? It's freezing. Come inside, dinner's almost ready." He lead Spencer in with his arm around her shoulders, expecting the other two girls to follow.

Ashley looked warningly at her sister. "Not one word."

"My lips are sealed."

-

"This is really good, Mr.C," Ashley said, her mouth full of her second helping of food.

"Thank you, Ashley," Arthur accepted the praise graciously. "I hope you've been feeding Spencer right."

Ashley nodded vehemently, not wanting the Carlins to think that she couldn't take care of their daughter. This time she swallowed before speaking. "Sure have. I've even been learning how to cook," she boasted proudly. "I can make cereal, soup, pancakes…I can make really good pancakes."

"She does good pasta too," Spencer added, finding it funny how flustered her girlfriend was becoming.

"Yeah, I do. But I guess mostly we eat out-"

"I bet," Kyla commented to Glen, the pair promptly burst out into laughter.

"Not like that!" Ashley blurted, red-faced, while Paula and Arthur just looked confused about what the other two were laughing about. "Well we do. At least I do, a lot. But what I meant was that there are a lot of good restaurants near us and..." Ashley gave up trying to explain as her sister and soon to be brother-in-law would not shut the fuck up. "You two are sick, you know that?"

"What's so funny?" Paula asked, wanting to be let in on the joke. This just made Kyla and Glen laugh even harder. Ashley went even redder and Spencer, well Spencer couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Ashley and I are engaged!"

Ashley's head whipped around to face her girlfriend in shock. "So much for the plan, Spencer," she muttered, bracing herself for the oncoming fallout.

There was a few moments of silence as the Carlins tried to process what they'd just heard and then…

"That is so wonderful." Arthur abandoned his seat and gave the two girls a warm hug. "I…I'm speechless. Congratulations."

"Nice one, sis," Glen said supportively as his father retook his seat. "I can't believe that you're the one that ended up landing the hot, rich chick. Who would've thought." Although, he probably should've suspected something when Spencer was five and insisted she wanted to marry Daphne from Scooby Doo.

Spencer, even though she was worried about her mother's so far nonexistent reaction, had to roll her eyes at her brother. Anxiously, she looked to the woman sitting at the end of the table. "Mom?"

"Congratulations," she said, in a polite but heartfelt tone. But the sincere smile on her face did more to reassure Spencer than her words.

"So when's the big day?" Kyla asked, bouncing in her seat with excitement. Her big sister was getting married! She was totally going to be Ashley's best man or woman or whatever, she just knew it.

"We haven't set a date," Spencer explained. "We've decided to wait until after I've graduated."

"But that's four years away," Kyla whined.

Arthur, however, nodded approvingly. "I think that's very sensible. Weddings can be a lot of work and you don't want to be distracted from your studies."

"Show them the rings!" Kyla blurted, forgetting that she was supposed to act like she didn't already know. She just really wanted to see those rings up close, they were just so sparkly.

Ashley took the rings out of her pocket and replaced them on their respective fingers. Spencer leaned across the table to show her mother.

"Oh Spencer," Paula gasped. "It's beautiful. It must've been very expensive."

"It was," Spencer confirmed, still feeling a little overwhelmed by the cost of the ring.

Ashley took her hand and smiled. "And it was so worth it."

-

After dessert was finished and the table was cleared, Ashley stayed in the kitchen to help Paula with the dishes while the others gathered in the lounge to watch a movie (she found the fact that Kyla and Glen insisted on sharing the loveseat to be ridiculously adorable). Sensing that it was time for another of their special talks and after the ease of the last one she had, she wasn't nearly as afraid as last time.

"It's no secret that I had my doubts about you," Paula began unexpectedly. "Many, many doubts. But I'm happy to say that you've proved me wrong."

"And that's a good thing, right?"

"Yes." Paula allowed herself to smile at the girl who'd won her little girl's heart. Now she could see what Spencer saw in her. "I can see how much you've matured and I can see how happy you make Spencer. And," she paused for dramatic effect. "I'm proud to have you as my daughter-in-law." She pulled the stunned girl into a hug. "Welcome to the family."

_She actually wants me to be part of her family? Not even my own mother wanted me to be her daughter._ It made Ashley feel all warm and squishy inside and happy tears spring to her eyes, how embarrassing.

"Of course," Paula's tone changed as her arms tightened until her grip on the brunette was slightly painful. "If you hurt her, there will be no lengths to which I wouldn't go to, to hunt you down and make you pay."

Well, that effectively shattered the mood. They pulled back from the hug, both laughing.

"Mom." Spencer had wandered into the kitchen to get a drink. "Have you been terrorizing my fiancée again?"

"Don't be silly, baby. Your mom loves me," Ashley grinned cheekily and put an arm around Paula's hip. "In fact, she was just asking me to run away with her to Guam to live in sin and farm avocados together."

That earned her a smack from both Carlin women. "Ow!" she exclaimed, rubbing the sore spots on both her arms. "That's abuse!"

"Shut up, Ash," Spencer laughed.

"Okay, baby."

Paula chuckled at their antics. Newly engaged and they were already acting like an old married couple. "I sure hope you know what you're getting yourself into, Ashley."

Ashley leered at Paula, who was still looking pretty good for an older woman. "I think I've got a pretty good idea."

**TBC**


	10. Jealous Girls

**Title: Growing Up (Falling Down) 10/23**

**Author: xperimental**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Fandom: South Of Nowhere**

**Pairing: Spencer/Ashley**

**Summary: The end of high school is only the beginning of the rest of their lives…**

**A/N: If this was a tv show, Abigail would be played by Leighton Meester. **

* * *

**Chapter 10 - Jealous Girls**

The holidays passed quickly and soon they were back in Boston and Spencer was starting her second semester at Emerson and, much to her excitement, her film classes.

The morning of her last day of freedom before classes started again, was spent in bed and it was mid-afternoon before they managed to drag themselves out of it. Spencer poured herself some orange juice and watched Ashley as she tried to rewrite some lyrics she had come up with the night before. She frowned as her girlfriend stopped to rub her eyes and started to squint as she tried to read her own writing.

"Ash?"

"Hmmm?"

"I think you need glasses."

"What?" Ashley squeaked. She couldn't need glasses, glasses were for geeks who spent too long staring at their computer screens. "Why?"

"Because you do," said Spencer simply. "Your eyes have been bothering you for weeks now, don't think I haven't noticed. And the headaches you've been having are probably because you've been straining your eyes all the time."

"Or maybe I have a brain tumor," Ashley suggested ridiculously. "Headaches and blurred vision are symptoms of one of those, I saw it on House."

Spencer stared at her in disbelief. "Are you seriously saying that you'd rather have a brain tumor than need glasses?"

"Well...no, I guess not."

Spencer rolled her eyes and pulled the phone book out of the top drawer. "I'll make an appointment for you at the optometrist." Her tone made it clear that there was no room for argument.

Ashley got up and kissed her on the cheek gratefully. Truth was, she knew that she probably needed glasses, she just didn't want to admit it to anyone. But now because Spencer was the one making her get it checked out, she could just say that she was there because her fiancée had forced her to go. "You're going to make a good wife."

-

The only appointment Spencer could get within the next two months, was for the next day, while she was in supposed to be class. So she had to trust Ashley to keep up her end of the bargain and actually go. All day she kept her eye on the clock and considered cutting out early, just to make sure her girlfriend actually went.

However, she needn't have worried. When she got home she found Ashley sulking on the couch.

"How'd it go?"

Ashley sighed heavily and slipped on her new pair of black framed glasses. "I have to wear these when I read and watch tv and stuff like that."

"Wow."

"I know, I look like a total dork."

"Uh, that's not..." Spencer trailed off, still stunned by just how sexy the simple black frames looked on her already smoking hot girlfriend. "I was actually thinking about how hot you look."

That perked Ashley right up. There was nothing like inflating her ego to lift her spirits. "Oh really?" She got up and stepped into Spencer, hoisting her up until the blonde's legs were wrapped around her waist.

"Uh-huh."

"In that case, I think that we should take them for a test drive."

-

It was only two weeks into the term when Spencer was set her first group assignment. Spencer had arrived home that day in a panic and furiously started cleaning the already tidy apartment.

"Baby, what are you doing?" Ashley asked, picking out an apple from the fruit bowl as she passively observed her girlfriend.

"Cleaning! This place is a mess."

"Uh, no it's not." Ashley took a bite of her apple before putting it down and moving to stop Spencer from fluffing the already fluffed throw pillows. "Why are you spazzing?" Her brown eyes went wide with fear. "You're parents aren't coming to visit, are they?"

"No," Spencer sighed, allowing herself to relax into the brunette's surprisingly strong arms. "We got set a group assignment today and stupid me suggested that instead of meeting up at the library we could have our brainstorming session here." There was a knock at the door and Spencer jumped, immediately becoming tense again. "They're here!"

"So answer the door."

"Yes, right." Spencer fluffed the pillow she'd been holding one more time before opening the door to greet her classmates. "Hey guys, come on in."

A tall guy with a blond whiteboy fro and scraggly beard with his arm around a shorter girl who had platinum blonde hair with purple and red clip in streaks, entered. "Ian, Sky, this is Ashley, my fiancée," Spencer did the introductions proudly. "Ash, this is Ian and Sky."

Ashley waved to them, feeling a little underdressed in jeans and Spencer's Emerson sweatshirt. In her defense, she had not been expecting company when she'd gotten dressed that afternoon. "Hi."

"Hey," the couple greeted simultaneously.

"So you two are gay?" Ian asked as they got settled on the couch.

Although his tone wasn't threatening, Ashley was instantly on edge. "Is that going to be a problem?"

"No, no way, man," Ian denied, laughing. "We are totally cool with it. We totally know what it's like to be discriminated against for having an alternative lifestyle," he said, taking his girlfriend's hand.

Ashley raised an eyebrow at the breeders. "Really?"

Sky nodded, looking at Ian adoringly. "Absolutely. We're vegans and we catch shit for it all the time."

"It's so stupid," Ian said with a long suffering sigh. "We choose not to eat animal products, you guys choose to eat pussy and that shouldn't be anyone's business but our own, you know? It's not like we're hurting anybody."

_How the hell am I supposed to respond to that?_ "Uhhhh…yeah. So do you guys want something to drink?" Ashley hopped up off the armchair she'd been sitting on, walked to the refrigerator and grabbed herself an apple juice box.

"Water, from the tap, please," Sky answered for herself and her boyfriend. "Did you know that not only is drinking water from the tap better for the environment, it's also better for your health?"

"You know, I think I have read that somewhere," Spencer said as Ashley got the two pseudo hippies their waters. There was another knock at the door and this time Spencer was much less hesitant about answering it. "Hey, Abi," she greeted the beautiful brunette on her doorstep.

"Hello, Spencer," she returned with a smile. Abi unwound the rainbow colored scarf from around her neck as she stepped inside the apartment. "I'm sorry I wasn't here earlier but the GSA meeting ran late."

"It's fine, Adam and Leroy aren't here yet either."

"Ashley," Spencer started the introduction. "This is Abigail. Abi, that's Ash."

"Ah, the famous Ashley, I've heard a lot about you. Please, call me Abi," Abi said, shaking the surprised girl's hand. _She's heard about me? I've never heard about her._

"That's an interesting accent you have," Ashley remarked, trying to get a read on the new girl.

Abi giggled at Ashley's confusion. "I'm British. I came to America to study cinema. The universities in England are superb if you want to become a doctor or a barrister, not so much if you want to get into film editing though." _Okay, Kate Winslet, I didn't ask for your life story._ There was something about the other brunette that bothered Ashley but she'd be damned if she could figure out what it was.

"That's cool. It must get lonely being so far away from your family," Ashley said, trying to make polite small talk. She knew that she'd have to at least try and get along with the girl, for Spencer's sake.

"Oh, it's not that hard. My parents live in Oregon now, so it's not like they're an ocean away or anything."

"Oh…" Ashley trailed off lamely as Abi took a seat in the armchair directly opposite her.

"Hey Abi," Sky greeted. "How's Jen?"

Abi smiled. "She's fine, very busy at work."

"Jen's her girlfriend," Ian quietly informed Ashley. "Abi's a lesbian too."

"Oh." _So that's why I don't like her._ Ashley knew, from past experience, that having more than two lesbians in a room was pretty much a recipe for some quality dyke drama.

-

Soon after, another member of the group arrived. After Spencer had done the introductions, Ian had leaned over and whispered to Ashley that Adam was a lacrosse player, as if that meant anything to her. She didn't even know what lacrosse was. With Adam, came the apologies from his friend and last member of the study group, Leroy, who had to take his grandpa to bingo and couldn't make it.

He sat on the couch with Ian and Sky, leaving no place for Spencer to sit, other than the floor. Ashley noticed her girlfriend's predicament and pulled the hesitant blonde down to sit in her lap. Sure, she could've gotten up and offered Spencer her seat but where was the fun in that.

"So what's this project about?" she asked.

"We have to make a short film, three to five minutes long, on a subject of our choosing," Spencer explained, pleased that Ashley was taking an interest.

"Speaking of which, perhaps we should decide on a topic for our film," Abi suggested.

"We've got an idea," Ian said eagerly. "How about we do a documentary on the inhumane slaughtering practices in the meat industry?" _Well, doesn't that just have box office smash written all over it._

"Are there any slaughterhouses in the area?" Abi asked delicately, praying that the answer was no so they could veto the idea and move on. "If not, we really don't have the time or money to be traipsing all over the country to find one."

"Oh." Ian deflated and Sky rubbed his back supportively. "I hadn't thought about that. Guess you're right."

Abi felt bad for rejecting the idea so quickly and causing Ian's hangdog expression, so she encouragingly added, "I do think you might be onto something with the documentary idea though."

"I am?"

"Yes. I was thinking perhaps we could to a documentary on gay marriage. We could interview married and about to be married gay couples about their experiences and their feelings on the fact that it's still not legal in most of the states."

"We could interview Spencer and Ashley!" Sky was weirdly excited about the prospect.

"Oh," Abi was clearly surprised. "Are you-"

"Engaged," Spencer said quickly, showing off her ring.

Abi smiled a smile that was as fake as Ryan Seacrest's teeth. "Congratulations."

_If she's heard so much about me, shouldn't she have already known that?_ Ashley thought suspiciously.

"How about a mockumentry?" Adam suggested, brining the conversation back to the matter at hand. "Like Borat."

"A mockumentry on what?" Abi asked, not enthusiastic about the idea in the slightest.

"Well, I was thinking we could make up, like a hair band from the eighties and do it on them. They're prime material for mocking."

"You can't be serious," Abi said with, what Ashley decided was, a well practiced bitchface.

"What?" the lacrosse player asked cluelessly. "I love hair bands. Come on, you can't say that you don't have a soft spot for Bon Jovi or Purple Venom-"

"Oh please," scoffed Abi. "They had nothing to offer the world except for bad hair and STD's. And don't even get me started on their so called music."

Ashley felt the hairs on the back of her neck rising as the British Bitch, as she'd now dubbed Abi in her mind, trashed her father's band and by extension her father. She looked to Spencer to see if she was going to step in with a "Hey, that's my fiancée's dead father's band you're talking about." But Spencer was too busy writing in her notebook to even notice the conversation going on around her. Ashley clenched her fists, she didn't want to embarrass Spencer by blowing up at her new friends and looking like some kind of unstable psychopath but she couldn't just sit there and listen to this. She gently ushered Spencer up off her lap and stood up.

"Where are you going?" Spencer asked, concerned.

"I've got some work I need to finish up," Ashley lied. "It was nice meeting you guys."

After a collective, "You too.", some more sincere than others, Ashley retreated to the study, where she didn't actually have any work to do. Sighing in annoyance, she booted up the computer and opened Sims 2, made a Sim in Abi's likeness, and spent the next hour and a half killing her in various inventive ways. She considered it a very productive use of her time.

-

"So did you get much work done?" Ashley asked, later that night as they got ready for bed.

"We still haven't decided on an exact plot but we've agreed that it'll be something to do with gay rights. Abi's just so passionate about it. You know, she's really involved with the GSA, she's been trying to get me to join."

"Spence, I thought we agreed-" Ashley began as she pulled on her boxer shorts.

"No joining anything in the first semester. Well, it's the second semester now, Ash," Spencer reminded her, firmly. "I really don't get what you have against people that join clubs."

"I don't have anything against people that join clubs!" Ashley denied. She found Spencer's accusation to be completely ridiculous. She had nothing against the GSA, she just didn't want Spencer to be involved with something that would lead to her spending anymore time with Abi. Something in her gut told her it would be wise to keep the two as far apart as possible.

Spencer sighed and pulled the tank top she slept in, or at least wore to bed, down over her head. "Is this about what happened to me on club day?"

"No!"

"Because I already told you that it's not like high school here," she continued, sitting next to Ashley on the end of the bad and taking her hand. "There's not a homophobic meathead jerk to be found."

"I know. If you want to join the GSA then you should join," Ashley relented, not wanting to hold Spencer back in any way. "I'm not going to stop you."

"Thank you." Spencer kissed the back of the hand she was holding. "And for the record, I'm not joining anything until the project is over. But I did tell Abi that I would think about it."

"Okay."

"Okay," Spencer confirmed, pleased with how the conversation had gone. "Now, Professor Barnes has recommended this Argentinean movie to us and the group's decided to go to see it tomorrow night, will you come with me?" Spencer asked, pouting at Ashley.

Ashley wrinkled her nose up at the thought of sitting through a boring foreign film. "I don't know, baby. World movies aren't exactly my thing," she said, uncertainly.

"I know but everyone else is going to be coupled up and I don't want to be the ninth wheel. Please, Ash?"

"Ugh," Ashley groaned, rolling her eyes at the huge sacrifice she was about to make. "If I go to this movie with you, you have to come and watch me play at the open mic night on Friday."

Spencer smiled, knowing that she'd won. "I was going to come watch you play anyway, silly. So you'll come tomorrow then?"

"Yeah, I'll come tomorrow," Ashley sighed. _It's just a movie, how bad could it possibly be?_

**TBC**


	11. Little Razorblade

**Title: Growing Up (Falling Down) 11/23**

**Author: xperimental**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Fandom: South Of Nowhere**

**Pairing: Spencer/Ashley**

**Summary: The end of high school is only the beginning of the rest of their lives…**

* * *

**Chapter 11 - Little Razorblade**

_This is the worst thing I have seen in my entire life…other than Aiden naked._ Ashley thought as she stared in confused horror at the movie screen. She had been trying to follow the movie, really she had, but she had no idea what she was seeing. As far as Ashley could tell, the movie was about a one armed orphan boy who was on a quest to find his real parents and had befriended a blind fiddler along the way. The only redeeming feature of the night was the fact that she was sitting next to Spencer in a darkened room and the blonde had been generous enough to wear a skirt. Ashley let her mind drift off to the time when she and Spencer had gone to see Meet Dave, which they realized sucked five minutes in. That was the first but certainly not the last time they had had sex in a movie theater.

Ashley slumped down in her seat and, in a well practiced move, started to slide her hand up Spencer's bare thigh, only to have it caught by Spencer's hand and thrown back into her lap. Hard. _Okay, that's never happened before. _She looked up to find Spencer glaring at her before she focused back on the screen. _Maybe she's outgrown her having sex in movie theatres phase._

Ashley sighed and went back to trying to figure out just what the fuck was happening in the movie. Now it seemed as though a stripper/hooker with a heart of gold had joined the troupe. It was about the time when the blind fiddler, who was apparently now deaf as well, started playing a mournful symphony on his violin, when Ashley felt herself getting sleepy and let out a loud yawn.

"Shhh!" Abi shushed harshly.

_Why did I have to sit next to her?_ Ashley silently lamented. She knew she should've protested when she realized she'd be stuck next to Abi and her girlfriend, Jenna. _And what the hell is she shushing me for? It has freaking subtitles! It's not like my yawn drowned out some vital piece of dialogue. _Ashley had opened her mouth to say exactly that when she felt Spencer's elbow dig deeply into her ribs. She turned to her fiancée to find her shaking her head disapprovingly, not looking at all pleased. _What's she so pissed off about?_ Ashley wondered, feeling totally out of place. _Screw this._ She slumped right down in her seat, folded her arms across her chest and decided to go to sleep. After growing up having to fall asleep on noisy tour buses, with drunk groupies screwing her father's doped up bandmates right next to her, Ashley could sleep anywhere.

-

"Ashley!" Spencer slapped her slumbering girlfriend on the arm. She couldn't believe Ashley had fallen asleep! Did she even care how embarrassing it was for her? "Wake up!" She smacked her again, harder this time.

"What? I'm up," Ashley mumbled sleepily, her hand coming up to wipe the drool from the corner of mouth as she gained full consciousness. She opened her eyes to find the lights on in the theater, Spencer's friends staring down at her in various stages of amusement and one pair of extremely livid blue eyes glaring at her. _Oh shit_. "I'm sorry," she said contritely, hoping it was enough to appease Spencer.

Spencer just shook her head and handed her her jacket. "We're going."

-

Ashley hung at the back of the pack as they exited the theater, discussing how deep and innovative the film they'd just seen had been.

"Hey, you guys want to go and grab some Bucks?" Leroy, a black kid that reminded Ashley of Clay, asked, pointing at the Starbucks café across the road.

"I don't know, Roy," Abi said slyly. "Seems to me that Ashley needs an early night."

_Oh, I'm so gonna cut you. _

"Yeah," Spencer agreed, uncomfortably. "We should be getting home to feed the cats." _Okay, that's the lamest excuse I've heard in a while._

Spencer took Ashley's hand as they said their goodbyes but as soon as they were out of sight of her new friends, she dropped it angrily, letting Ashley know that she was not happy.

-

The silence between them lasted until they were safely inside their apartment and not a moment longer.

"How could you do that? Do you even know how embarrassing that was for me?"

Ashley would never admit it but it cut deep that Spencer felt embarrassed by her. Swallowing the hurt caused by the fact that Spencer seemed to care more about what her friends thought than Ashley's feelings, she tried to apologize for something she didn't know she had to be sorry for. "Spence, I'm sorry but that movie sucked ass. You knew that I would hate it but you still made me come with you."

Spencer ignored her and continued to rant. "And don't even get me started on you trying to make a move on me. What were you thinking? Anyone could've seen."_ Only Abi could've seen anything and who gives a shit about her._

"I know. I'm sorry, it was dumb," Ashley admitted glumly, she really did not want to fight about this.

Spencer nodded and headed for the bedroom. "I'm going to bed. I've got an early class tomorrow. You coming?"

Ashley didn't think it would be a good idea for them to be in the same room at the moment. "Ah, no. I've got to finish a song I've been working on so I can sing it at the open mic tomorrow."

"Fine. Try not to wake me when you come in."

Ashley watched Spencer's retreating back until she disappeared around the corner. _Believe me, Spence, that is so not going to be a problem._

**TBC**


	12. False Pretenses

**Title: Growing Up (Falling Down) 12/23**

**Author: xperimental**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Fandom: South Of Nowhere**

**Pairing: Spencer/Ashley**

**Summary: The end of high school is only the beginning of the rest of their lives…**

* * *

**Chapter 12 - False Pretenses**

In the morning, Spencer woke to find Ashley's side of the bed empty. She frowned for a moment, running her hand over the cold rumpled sheets but wasn't overly concerned. Ashley had taken to going on early morning jogs when she was upset about something.

Spencer groaned remembering their argument from the night before. In the cold light of morning, she could see that she had totally overreacted and had been unnecessarily harsh on her poor fiancée. Ashley had a point when she had said that Spencer knew that she would hate the movie but forced her to come anyway, it really was her fault. Really, the only reason she'd gotten so upset was because she wanted her new friends to see just how amazing Ashley was and the brown eyed girl had completely failed to impress on that front.

Getting out of bed, she went about her morning routine, minus the obligatory morning sex, of having a shower and getting dressed. As she was lacing up her red Chucks, Spencer looked up at the clock and realized that she was running late. "Coulda woken me, Ash," she grumbled under her breath, knowing that she would have to skip breakfast in order to make it to her first class on time.

She quickly shoved the books she needed into her messenger bag and was ready to run out the door when she was stopped in her tracks by the sight of her girlfriend curled up asleep on the couch with the cats.

"Oh Ash," Spencer sighed mournfully, realizing that Ashley was still wearing her clothes from the night before and must have spent the night sleeping on the couch. As if she didn't feel bad enough already.

Spencer knew that she didn't have time to go into the apology she wanted to give her beautiful fiancée and Ashley really did look so peaceful that she didn't want to disturb her.

Biting her lip, Spencer covered Ashley with the light blanket, that had been draped over the back of one of the armchairs, and leaned down to kiss the older girl's cheek. "I'm sorry," she whispered before straightening up and leaving, being sure to close the door quietly on her way out.

-

In class, Spencer could barely concentrate, she felt so guilty. Had she really been so angry that Ashley felt that she had to sleep on the couch to avoid being in the same bed as her? They hadn't spent a night apart since they'd moved into the apartment together and Spencer found that she hated the feeling of emptiness that it left in her.

"Hey," Abi whispered, breaking Spencer out of her guilty musings. "What are you doing tonight?"

"Why?" Spencer asked, cautiously, keeping an eye on her professor as he continued to lecture.

"Me and Jen are going to Trio tonight, you wanna come?"

"What's Trio?" Spencer had never heard of the place.

"A gay club, we go there all the time. You really need to get out more, Spence."

Spencer shifted uncomfortably, feeling like a stupid kid in the face of Abi's experience. "I don't know, I've never been to a gay bar before." But she was undeniably curious about the prospect.

"Exactly my point! You need to get out and experience the culture of our people."

Abi's excitement over the outing was contagious and Spencer found herself agreeing enthusiastically. "I'm in!" _After crappy morning I've had, I deserve to have some fun. Besides, Ashley probably still needs her space. _Spencer thought, ignoring the deep down feeling that she was forgetting about something.

-

"Come on, Spence. Where are you?" Ashley muttered to herself as she paced around the holding room for the performers. It was nearly eight, she was due to go any minute and her fiancée still hadn't shown up. She flipped open her cell phone and hit number one on her speed dial, she tapped her foot as she waited for Spencer to pick up. After ten rings the call finally went to voicemail. Ashley sighed bitterly but left a message. "Hey Spence, it's me. I'm about to go on and you're not here and I haven't heard from you all day. So I guess you're still pissed about last night. Um…call me back so I know you're okay. I guess I'll see you when I get home…I love you. Bye."

Ashley snapped the phone shut and lent back against her guitar case. Maybe she had done the wrong thing in not going to bed last night, maybe that had pissed Spencer off even more and now she was punishing her by not showing up at her open mic performance like she'd promised.

"Ashley Davies." The event coordinator stuck his head into the room. "You're on in five."

Ashley nodded and hoped that when she walked out onto that tiny stage, Spencer would be in the audience waiting for her.

-

"This is so awesome!" Spencer had to yell to be heard over the loud music of the club. "It's too bad Jen couldn't make it."

Abi shrugged, twirling the straw in her Mai Tai. "That's the price you pay for working in middle management I suppose," she drawled, not looking at all cut up over the fact that her girlfriend had stood her up. "Come on." She took Spencer's hand and led her through the crowd to a table in the corner that was a little quieter. "Here, now we can talk. I can't believe that you've never been to a gay bar before, I thought you were from Los Angeles."

Spencer couldn't believe it either. The club was packed with girls kissing other girls and boys dancing up on other boys and there was nobody judging them or sensationalizing it, they just were. She just felt so free to be herself. "Ashley doesn't like them," she explained. "She's always afraid that she'll run into one of her exs and they'll make a scene."

Abi stared at the blonde over the top of her glass, carefully gauging her reactions. "Do you always do what Ashley wants? I hope you don't mind me saying this but your relationship seems rather unbalanced."

Spencer set down her pina colada and shook her head vehemently. That wasn't what she was implying at all. "Ashley's sacrificed a lot for me. She moved all the way across the country for me."

"Yes," Abi's voice was cool and calculated but tipsy Spencer didn't pick up on it. "After she abandoned you after the death of your brother and cheated on you. To me, it just seems like that's the very least she could do."

_Why did I tell her about that?_ Spencer lamented and latched onto the one thing that Abi had said that she could truthfully deny. "Ashley never cheated on me."

"Well, perhaps not physically-"

"Oh my god!" Spencer exclaimed as a new song began to play, desperate not to have this conversation. "This is my favorite song!"

Abi raised an perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "Candy Shop is your favorite song? You really are desperate to change the subject, aren't you."

"No, I just happen to really like 50 Cent," Spencer said lamely, knowing that she wasn't fooling anyone. She grabbed her cocktail and took a hearty swallow.

"I'm sorry if I was making you uncomfortable," Abi apologized. "I'm just struggling to understand how you'd ever be able to trust someone who'd treated you like that."

Spencer took another drink to avoid replying because she found herself not liking her answer.

**TBC**


	13. Damn Regret

**Title: Growing Up (Falling Down) 13/23**

**Author: xperimental**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Fandom: South Of Nowhere**

**Pairing: Spencer/Ashley**

**Summary: The end of high school is only the beginning of the rest of their lives…**

* * *

**Chapter 13 - Damn Regret**

Any hopes that Ashley had that Spencer would be at home waiting for her were dashed when she entered the apartment to find it empty with the exception of the cats.

"Hey guys." She set her guitar case against the wall and knelt down to pet the cats that were rubbing themselves against her legs. "At least someone is happy I'm home." AJ meowed at her. "You're hungry? Let's see what we can do about that."

Ashley scooped up both cats and took them into the kitchen. She put them down near their food bowls and went to the refrigerator to get the half empty can of food that she knew was in there. _Chicken and Tuna. Yum, yum. _As she closed the refrigerator door, she noticed a yellow post-it stuck to it that had definitely not been there that morning.

She snatched it off the fridge and put on her glasses to read it. "Gone out with Abi. Don't wait up. Love you." And to make it even worse, Spencer had decorated the note with smiley faces and love hearts. Ashley didn't know what was worse; that Spencer had totally forgotten that she had promised to be at her performance that night or that she thought some stupid hearts and smiley faces would make everything okay.

Ashley crumpled the offensive yellow piece of paper and pegged it at the floor as hard as she could. The cats pounced on it immediately, believing it to be a fun new toy, and started it batting it around on the tiles.

_Looks like I'm sleeping on the couch again tonight._ Ashley thought as she watched the cats play. _No, wait. Why should I have to sleep out on the couch? I'm not the one who's screwed up this time, so why should I be the one to be punished. _Plus, her back was still aching from the night before.

Determinedly, she went about feeding the cats and then shutting off all the lights before going to bed. Hopefully, Spencer would get the message.

-

It was just after 3am when Spencer and her companion stumbled out of the club with their arms linked and giggling.

"That was so awesome!" Spencer had had an amazing time, she wouldn't believe how many women had hit on her even when she had her engagement ring on. It was extremely flattering. "It was just...awesome!"

"I know! It was quite brilliant, wasn't it." Abi was slurring her words, just a little. Suddenly, she noticed something about Spencer that she had never noticed before. "Hey, you're beeping!"

"Wha?" Spencer asked dumbly before she realized that she was in fact periodically beeping. "I am! Why?"

"I don't know."

Then it occurred to Spencer's slightly drunk brain that it was her phone. "I have a message," she declared, pulling it out of her pocket and dialing the number for her voicemail box.

"That thing is huge," Abi breathed in wonderment at Spencer's brick of a phone.

Spencer ignored her and listened to the message that Ashley had left, sobering up more and more with every word that her fiancée spoke. "Hey Spence, it's me. I'm about to go on and you're not here and I haven't heard from you all day. So I guess you're still pissed about last night. Um…call me back so I know you're okay. I guess I'll see you when I get home…I love you. Bye." _Oh no, please don't tell me that that was tonight._

Abi noticed the panic on the younger girl's face. "Spencer, what's wrong?"

Spencer looked at her with guilt written all over her face. "I've screwed up really bad…I need to go home."

-

When Spencer arrived home and all the lights were off, she knew that she was in trouble. On the way through the apartment she checked the couch, just in case Ashley had decided to sleep there again but it was empty. _Maybe she's not here, maybe she's staying the night at a hotel. Maybe she's leaving me! _Spencer thought before she opened the door to their bedroom and found her girlfriend curled up on her side of the bed, facing away from her.

Spencer breathed a sigh of relief. _At least she's still here_. And went about getting ready for bed as quickly and quietly as possible.

When she was done she slipped into bed and cuddled up against Ashley's back, attempting to spoon her. But she couldn't figure out where to put her arms. It wasn't her fault, she'd never had to be the big spoon before. She'd never been the one that screwed up before. Finally she found a position that was comfortable for her and settled down. She pressed her lips in a long kiss against Ashley's neck and whispered "I love you." against the silky soft skin of the sleeping brunette. She never knew that Ashley had been awake the whole time.

-

When Ashley woke up in the morning, she could feel the bed behind her was empty. She lay still for a moment, wallowing in her disappointment and then rolled over to find Spencer sitting on the edge of the bed staring at her. _Okay, that's a little creepy._

Spencer grinned at her and held up a paper bag. "I made you breakfast."

Ashley eyed the insignia on the bag. "You work at McDonalds now?"

Blushing, Spencer ducked her head. "Okay, so I got up early and went out to buy you breakfast. I didn't want to risk serving you soggy Froot Loops, cause I know you hate that and I know how much you love their pancakes, so…"

"You got me pancakes?"

"I even did the butter and syrup like you like it." Unlike her cereal, Ashley loved her pancakes soggy and drowning in syrup. Ashley had no shame in snatching the bag out of Spencer's hand and digging in. "It's supposed to be an apology breakfast. I'm sorry I wasn't there last night, Ash. We've had so much going on these last few days that it totally slipped my mind."

Ashley looked up at her, her mouthful of pancake. "You could've at least called and told me where you were going. I was worried about you."

"I sent you a text," Spencer offered weakly.

Ashley was confused, she'd been obsessively checking her phone all night. If Spencer had sent a text she would've known about it. "I didn't get any text."

"That's weird." Spencer frowned and pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and checked her sent messages and was very confused to find the one she'd written wasn't there. On a hunch, she checked the drafts section and groaned when she found her message tucked away in there. "Oh man, Abi was distracting me when I was sending it. I must've hit the wrong button." Spencer looked up at Ashley, her pout and puppy dog eyes in full effect. "I am so sorry, Ash."

Ashley was so sick of fighting and being angry at Spencer and too tired to even try to resist Spencer's puppy dog eyes. It was too hard for her to stay mad at Spencer. In fact, she was pretty sure she was physically incapable of it. It was encoded into her DNA or something. "It's okay," she said softly, putting her empty styrofoam plate off to the side. "It's not like you missed anything important."

"I still suck for not being there when I promised I would be. But next time, I swear I'll be there, sitting front and centre. There may even be some underwear throwing involved."

Ashley smiled at her. "How can I possibly stay mad at you after that kind of visual?" _Plus, she bought me pancakes_. Ashley pressed her forehead against Spencer's and looked deep into her blue eyes. "I love you, Spencer."

"I love you too."

As they kissed, Ashley realized with a start that this was the first time they'd kissed in almost two days. Two days! She deepened the kiss and began to bring Spencer down onto the bed.

Spencer broke the kiss off before Ashley could get fully on top of her.

"What? Baby, what's wrong?"

Spencer pouted up at her. "I have to go," she said, her voice tinged with regret.

"It's Saturday, you don't have class today," Ashley mumbled, moving in for another kiss. Spencer grabbed her face in her hands before their lips could touch.

"I'm meeting the guys at Starbucks, we still have to pin down a subject for our movie."

_That fucking project!_ "Oh." She rolled off Spencer and moved to get off the bed.

Spencer felt awful, she couldn't believe that she was disappointing Ashley again. She caught the older girl's wrist and pulled her back down. "Wait. I'll call Abi and tell her I can't make it."

Ashley looked back at her and forced a smile. "No, it's alright, you should go. I know how important this project is to you. Besides, the sooner it's finished, the more time we have to spend together, right?"

"Right," Spencer agreed cautiously, trying to figure out if Ashley really meant what she was saying or if she just said it because it was what she thought Spencer wanted to hear. "So I can go?"

Ashley laughed at her. "Of course you can go, baby. I'm not going to stop you."

Spencer kissed her again. "I'll be home early. I promise."

_I'll believe it when I see it._

-

"She has an accent, Ky!" Ashley was on the phone to Kyla the minute Spencer had walked out the door. She desperately needed someone to talk to about what was going on in her head and for the first time she felt homesick.

"So?"

"She has a British accent," Ashley said slowly as if she was speaking to a five year old. "Everybody knows that everything sounds sexier in a British accent."

"I really don't think so, Ash."

"No, it's true." Then Ashley attempted her best British accent. "Fancy a cuppa tea, guvnah?"

"Ashley." Now Kyla was doing the slow talking. "That does not sound sexy. That sounds like you've had a stroke." Ashley frowned, she'd thought it was pretty good. "Anyway, I wouldn't worry too much about this Abi girl. It just sounds like Spencer has a bit of a friend crush to me."

"What the hell is a friend crush?"

"It's like when you make a new friend and you really want them to like you, so you really try to impress them and you want to spend all your time with them. It's like a normal crush but with no romantic feelings involved." Kyla paused and then made an embarrassing admission. "I used to have one on you."

"You used to have a crush on me?" Ashley asked, not sure how she felt about that. On one hand, Kyla was pretty hot. On the other, she was her sister.

"A **friend** crush!" Kyla stressed. "Like I said, I wouldn't worry about it. I mean, it's Spencer! There is no way she'd cheat on you."

"I'm not worried," Ashley said weakly, remembering the Jonica incident that Kyla didn't know about. "Not worried at all."

**TBC**


	14. Me And The Boys

**Title: Growing Up (Falling Down) 14/23**

**Author: xperimental**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Fandom: South Of Nowhere**

**Pairing: Spencer/Ashley**

**Summary: The end of high school is only the beginning of the rest of their lives…**

**A/N: Dylan played by Chris Hemsworth, Reed played by Lincoln Lewis, Tucker played by Todd Lasance. Google them.**

* * *

**Chapter 14 - Me And The Boys**

It was almost five o'clock and Ashley was busy trying to think up a romantic plan for the evening. _Candles? Nah, too much of a fire hazard. Flowers? Flowers are good, she liked the roses I gave her for her birthday. Toys? All washed and ready to go._ It was going to be a good night. And that's all they really needed, Ashley had decided, just one good night together to get everything back on track.

Her phone chirped Spencer's ringtone and Ashley answered it cheerfully. "Hey baby."

"Ash…" That was all Spencer needed to say.

Ashley slumped back against the kitchen counter. "You're not coming home early, are you?" All semblance of cheer had disappeared from her voice.

"I am so sorry. We've had a breakthrough and we're working on a script now. I probably won't be home until late," Spencer explained.

"It's okay," Ashley said wearily. "We can do something together tomorrow, if you're not busy."

"That sounds really good." Ashley heard a voice in the background. "Ash, I've gotta go. I'll see you later tonight, okay? Love you." She hung up without even waiting for a reply.

"Love you too," Ashley whispered to dead air. She threw her phone onto the counter. _I'm sick of waiting around this stupid apartment, like a bored housewife, waiting for Spencer to come home. _She grabbed her leather jacket off the hook and made the conscious decision to leave her phone behind as she left. _It's not like anyone's going to need me._

-

Ashley ended up drinking at a pub called The Angry Goat. She could honestly say that it was the picture of the pissed off goat with the boxing gloves on it's hooves, above the door that drew her to the place. However their extremely lax ID checking and cheap beer was what made her stay. For the last forty minutes she'd been sitting at the bar watching a cover band play Led Zeppelin and Rolling Stones classics. They weren't bad, they weren't that good but they didn't suck, not in Ashley's expert opinion anyway. The lead guitarist was a bit of an attention whore, though. _Put a shirt on, dude,_ Ashley thought. _And pull up your pants._ The dark haired man's jeans were slung so low that the star tattoos he had inked on his pelvis were half visible.

The band finished their last song of the night and the blond singer thanked the barely interested audience. "We are Under The Covers and you've been a great audience-"

"Get off the stage!" One drunk jackass yelled. "You suck!"

"Thank you," the singer stepped away from the mic to the sound of half-hearted applause. Ashley observed with interest as the dark haired guitarist argued with the other three members of the band before giving them the finger. He grabbed his guitar case and stormed off. _They're better off without you, jackass_ Ashley laughed under her breathand finished off her beer.

Still feeling keyed up, she headed for the open dart board. Ashley didn't care about trying to achieve a decent score by actually aiming, she just threw the sharp darts as hard as she could, taking satisfaction in the thunk they made as they hit the cork board.

"Oh shit," she muttered as the last dart she threw went awry, missed the board entirely and buried itself in the wood paneling of the wall. _I really hope nobody saw that._ She thought as she struggled to pull the small dart out of the wall.

"Need a hand?"

Ashley looked up to see the tall bass player from Under The Covers standing next to her with an amused smirk playing on his lips. "Uh, yeah," she said sheepishly. The bass player wrapped a large hand around the dart and easily dislodged it from the wood. "Thanks."

"Not a problem." The man smiled, offering her the trouble causing dart. "Hey, don't I know you?" _Oh, here it comes. You're Ashley Davies! I love your dad's band! _"You busk in the park, right? Under the big oak tree, near the bridge. I run past you like every day, you're really good." He stuck out his hand for her to shake. "I'm Dylan, by the way."

"Ashley." Ashley smiled and shook his hand. It was always nice to meet a fan. "You guys weren't too bad yourselves."

"Huh?" Dylan said cluelessly until he realized that she must've caught their show. "Oh. Yeah, that wasn't exactly our best performance."

Ashley had a hunch that she knew exactly what he was talking about. "Your guitarist?" Dylan nodded, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, I saw you guys fighting afterwards, everything okay there?"

Dylan shrugged his broad shoulders. "Uh, well that would depend on your definition of okay. We told him to put on a shirt and he told us to get fucked because quote, he had too much integrity and talent to continue playing covers in our shitty little band, unquote."

"Charming." Ashley found herself feeling strangely at ease around Dylan and couldn't figure out why until she strained her neck to look up into his eyes as he laughed. They were the same shade of blue as Spencer's.

They were interrupted by the two other members of the band jumping on and then hanging off Dylan's back. "What's up bro?" The one Ashley recognized as the lead singer asked. "Who's this?"

"This is Ashley," Dylan said, shrugging off the two shorter boys. "And these two idiots, who seem to think I'm a jungle gym, are my brothers; Tucker and Reed."

"Hey," the two said in unison.

"Were you talking about the douchebag, before we interrupted?" Tucker, the drummer, asked.

"If you mean your guitarist," Ashley clarified. "Then yes."

Reed rolled his eyes. "Matt's a dick, what else is there to say?"

"I can think of a few things," Tucker muttered, he clearly had no compassion for his former bandmate.

Dylan elbowed him gently. "Why don't you go and get us our free drinks. Ashley, do you want to join us?"

Ashley may have been ridiculously rich but she still wasn't one to turn down anything that was free. "Sure. You get free drinks?"

"It's how we get paid sometimes," Tucker elaborated. "Okay, so three beers and one girly cocktail, coming up."

"Oh, I'll have a beer too," Ashley corrected him.

Reed guffawed. "The cocktail is for him!"

Tucker punched his twin in the arm. "I like the sugar!"

"Whatever," Reed grumbled, rubbing his sore arm. "Just make sure you get some of those tiny umbrellas in it, those things are bomb." Tucker waved him off and pushed his way through the growing crowd to the bar.

"So you guys are brothers and in a band together," Ashley said as the three of them commandeered a booth. "How very Hanson of you."

"Or Jonas Brothers," Reed added the more contemporary reference.

"Who?"

-

An hour later they were in the middle of a spirited debate about who was the coolest muppet. "Oh, fuck Elmo!" Tucker said in disgust at his older brother's choice. "Elmo is so overrated and Grover kicks his ass."

"Yes!" Ashley agreed, enthusiastically. "He is so much more badass and he never gets any credit. Where's the Tickle-Me Grover toys, huh? I'd buy one."

"I finally figured it out!" Reed blurted suddenly, halting the conversation.

"What?"

"How Batman could beat Superman in a fight." That had been the original topic of conversation, which had led to discussing the totally gay relationship between Batman and Robin and then when Ashley had said that they were the comic version of Bert and Ernie the conversation had turned to Sesame Street and the muppets that inhabited it. "He'd use a kryptonite Batarang," he said triumphantly, finally he proved his case. He had been the lone dissenter in the debate. Ashley and his brothers had all decided that Superman would kick Batman's ass without even breaking a sweat but Reed had stood strong.

Now Dylan and Tucker looked ready to concede the point but Ashley wasn't quite as ready to give up. "Nope. It would never even get close enough to affect him. He could just fly or superspeed away or use his superbreath to knock it off course before it touched him. Sorry, Reed."

"Damnit!" Reed frowned and chugged his beer. There had to be a way! There just had to be.

"You know, you don't seem like the kind of girl that'd be into comics," Dylan said, pleasantly surprised.

Ashley shrugged and played with the loose corner of the label on her beer bottle. "When I was a kid I was left at home alone a lot. I had to have hobbies. You guys don't exactly look like your typical comic book geeks either."

"We're kind of the opposite to you," Reed said. "We were home schooled by our mom, so she was always there, and she let us read comics instead of boring books she knew we'd hate. And she made us all learn an instrument too, that's how the band started."

"Guys, what are we going to do?" Tucker groaned, abruptly. "We can't play if we don't have someone on guitar."

"Matt and his fucking artistic integrity," Reed joined in. "He was such a poser."

"Look at me! I'm so emo with my bad hair and big muscles," Tucker mocked. "He's just pissed we didn't make enough for him to get his 'roid fix this week."

"Yeah, all right." Dylan put a stop to their bashing session. "I know he was an asshole but he's a good guitar player too."

"The only reason he even plays is because he wants to get famous," Reed grumbled, he hated people like that. "You know what he really wanted to do was have his own clothing line."

"That is such bullshit." Tucker's lip curled in disgust.

Ashley decided that she liked that she really liked these guys, they shared her feelings about music and, evidenced by their prior conversation, they were exactly her kind of crazy. Plus, she missed having people to spend time with while Spencer was busy.

"You know, I'm a pretty good guitar player, if you want-"

"Yes!" Reed said quickly and Tucker nodded in agreement. "Yes, we want you to play with us."

Dylan was a little more reserved about the idea. "Can you play the solo from Led Zeppelin's 'Heartbreaker'?"

"Of course." That had been one of the first songs her father had taught her.

That seemed good enough for him, he looked at his brother's hopeful faces and then held his hand out to Ashley. "Welcome aboard."

**TBC**


	15. Tension Head

**Title: Growing Up (Falling Down) 15/23**

**Author: xperimental**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Fandom: South Of Nowhere**

**Pairing: Spencer/Ashley**

**Summary: The end of high school is only the beginning of the rest of their lives…**

* * *

**Chapter 15 - Tension Head**

"Dude, what was that?" Reed asked his twin brother. "You were totally out of sync with the rest of us."

"What are you bitching at me for?" Tucker yelped defensively, leaning back from his fake drum kit. "You weren't even in the right key!"

It was Monday, two days since Ashley had met the brothers, and they had gathered at her apartment to play the newly purchased Rock Band 2 on the Xbox 360 that Ashley previously had no use for. They were supposed to be practicing to achieve group harmony with their new member and so far Ashley had been fitting in well, the twins on the other hand had been sniping at each other all day.

"Are they always like this?" Ashley asked Dylan as the two progressed to wrestling on the floor.

He looked at her with an amused grin and mischievous twinkle in his blue eyes. "Pretty much. Don't worry I know how to handle it." He set down his fake bass guitar and manhandled his two smaller brothers into headlocks. "Hey, you both sucked," he told them. "We'll try again."

The twins struggled in his grasp but were unable to free themselves from his strong arms. Finally they promised to behave and Dylan released them.

"Why don't we take a break?" Ashley suggested. It sounded like a good idea to the others.

"I'll get more beers," Reed announced, heading straight for the fridge and the second six pack they'd bought over. The empty bottles of the first were scattered across the coffee table, as well an empty pizza box, and Ashley made a mental note to clean it all up before Spencer got home.

"You're a fucking alcho, Reed," Tucker teased his twin, despite the fact that he'd had just as much to drink.

"What's the deal with you guys' names, anyway?" Ashley took the opportunity to ask the question that had been bugging her since she'd met the brothers. "I'm guessing you're named after Lou Reed, right?"

Reed nodded, setting four fresh beers down on the coffee table, and explained the origins of the other's names. "Dylan's named after Bob Dylan and Tucker, well he's named after a woman-"

"Shut up!" Tucker snapped.

"You are, deal with it. He's named after Maureen Tucker, the drummer for The Velvet Underground. The 'rents thought it would be cool to name the two of us after members of the same band."

"Wow, you're parents must be pretty cool," Ashley said. She remembered the story of how she got her name. While she was being born, her father spent the whole time outside the hospital, chain smoking, and had become entranced by the ashes as they floated away in the wind. No prizes for guessing exactly what he was smoking. So he decided, boy or girl, her name would be Ashley.

Reed shrugged. "Not really. I mean, dad's a corporate lawyer and mom's in real estate now, so it's not like they were hippies or anything. They both just really love music, that's why they had us taking lessons before we could walk."

"I know what that's like," Ashley said softly, fondly remembering how her father tried to teach her how to play guitar before she was even big enough to hold one.

"So what do your parents do?" asked Tucker, eager to know more about their newest, smoking hot, member.

"Well, my mother marries rich men and then divorces them to get half of their fortunes and my dad's dead." Ashley didn't see any reason to try and sugar coat it. Ashley had recently learnt from Kyla that Christine was on husband number six now. She hadn't even bothered inviting her only daughter to the wedding. Amusingly enough, she had married Warren Kane, the CEO of the Sports Time chain, effectively making him Glen's boss of bosses. It's funny how the world works.

"Oh shit," Tucker said quickly. "I'm sorry."

Ashley shook her head. "Don't worry about it. It is what it is."

Dylan nodded and broke up the awkward moment by picking up his controller. "Come on, let's try Rebel Girl."

"Oh hell fucking yes!" Tucker exclaimed, slamming down his beer bottle and grabbing his drum sticks.

It was impossible to play the song without rocking out and the band didn't bother trying to restrain themselves. Spencer unexpectedly returned home early to find Reed on his knees, wailing away into his microphone, Tucker drumming like a man possessed and Ashley jumping up and down on one of the armchairs with her fake guitar. Oh god, it's Glen all over again! She heard the barely muffled sniggers of her friends behind her and felt absolutely mortified.

"Spence!" Ashley yelled over the music when she noticed her girlfriend standing in the doorway. She hopped down off the chair, bounced her way over to Spencer and kissed her. All without missing a single note. "Hey baby."

Spencer stood stunned as they finished the performance and the virtual crowd went wild.

"Perfect score!" Reed shouted, raising his arms in victory. "We've never gotten one of those before."

Spencer watched as Ashley went around high-fiving her friends and then they all chugged their beers in unison. Okay, that was it. "Ashley, can I talk to you?"

Ashley looked at her dumbly, still on a post perfect performance high. "Okay."

Spencer raised her eyebrows. "In the bedroom?"

The brother's "Ooooh-ed" in unison. Spencer rolled her eyes at their immaturity and ushered her, thankfully more mature, friends in and closed the door behind them. "I'll just be a moment," she said to Abi before grabbing Ashley by the arm and dragging her out of the room.

-

"Okay," Spencer said in a hurried tone, once they were in private. "You guys need to leave."

"What, why do we have to leave? We were here first."

"Because we need to work on our project and we're not going to get anything done with you four around here acting like total idiots," Spencer hissed. God, this was such a disaster. Once, just once, she wanted Ashley to impress her friends. For them to see the Ashley she saw. She knew that they didn't have a very high opinion of her girlfriend, they all thought that she was too immature for Spencer, and she wanted to change that but Ashley just made it so goddamn hard when she did things like this.

Ashley let out a shocked laugh. Spencer had never spoken to her like that before. "Come on, baby. We were just having some fun."

"That's nice, Ash, but we actually have some serious work to do," Spencer said in a way that Ashley took as hugely condescending.

"Fine." She did not take being talked down to, well. Not well at all. "We'll get out of your way then." She pulled away from Spencer and wrenched the door open.

Spencer sighed at Ashley's oversensitivity and followed her back into the living room, where Reed and Tucker were both trying to hit on Abi with, not surprisingly, little success.

"Come on boys," Ashley said, grabbing her jacket. "We're not wanted here."

The boys groaned but collected their things and filed out the door. "I'm really sorry about them," Spencer could be heard apologizing to her friends as Ashley closed the door behind them. She hated that she was something that Spencer felt she had to apologize for.

Tucker noticed her slumping shoulders and downcast expression and decided to cheer her up by giving her a gentle noogie. It always worked on his girl cousins when they were sad. Of course, they were eight. Luckily, Ashley appeared to be as susceptible to it as they were. She laughed and pushed him a way, her mood considerably lightened. "Come on, let's hit Burger King. I'm starving," he said, pleased with himself.

"You just ate," Ashley reminded him.

"Doesn't matter," Reed informed her. "He's a bottomless pit."

"You're a bottomless pit," his younger twin snapped.

Dylan shoved both of his brothers in the back to get them moving again. He smiled at Ashley. "You see what I have to put up with?" he asked in mock annoyance.

Ashley smiled back, wishing, and not for the first time, that she'd had siblings growing up. If she had then maybe she wouldn't have been as screwed up as she was now. "They're not that bad."

Dylan looked affectionately at his younger brothers bickering on the stairs in front of them. "Nah, they're okay, I guess."

-

Spencer was waiting for Ashley when she returned home that night, curled up on the couch reading the thick screenplay of There Will Be Blood for one of her screenwriting classes. She didn't say anything, she didn't have to. She just got up and pulled Ashley into an apologetic hug that said more than words.

"Let's go to bed," Spencer murmured into Ashley's curly brown hair.

"But aren't you doing homework?"

"I can do it in the bedroom," Spencer said gently, pulling back. It had been a very long day and she just wanted to be close to the older girl.

"Okay."

Spencer led Ashley by the hand to the bedroom, stopping to pick up the cast aside script on the way, and they hurriedly went about getting ready for bed.

Spencer couldn't concentrate as they lay side by side, focused their respective papers. She let her script drop to the floor and cuddled up against her girlfriend. She started kissing Ashley's bare shoulder and then moved onto her neck. Ashley tossed her music sheets aside and took Spencer's face in her hands, kissing her hard and rolling her onto her back. She shifted her hips as she settled her body between Spencer's thighs.

"I love you," Spencer uttered, looking reverently at the woman she was going to marry.

Ashley's fingers fumbled with the drawstring on Spencer's pajama pants. "My glasses are all fogged up." The lenses were so steamed up she could barely see.

Spencer smiled at her and gently removed the glasses and placed them on the bedside table. "Better?"

Ashley grinned. "Better." And captured her pouty lips once more.

-

"Do you ever think about it?" Spencer asked as they lay sweaty and tangled together in the afterglow.

"Think about what?" Ashley asked softly, not wanting to disturb the intimacy of the moment. She stroked the blonde's hair with one hand while Spencer played with the fingers of the other.

"What it'll be like after we get married."

"Yeah, sometimes."

"Tell me?"

Ashley shifted down and nuzzled her face against the side of Spencer's head. "I'll buy us a house."

"Not a mansion?"

"No, just a normal house. Near the beach. But not in Malibu because they have too many wildfires and they scare me."

Spencer giggled. Ashley was scared of pretty much any natural disaster. Actually, she was pretty sure that Ashley was scared of nature. "Okay. What about kids, how many do you want?"

"A couple, at least two. A boy and a girl. But not like a whole basketball team, like Brangelina have or anything. I want to make sure that they can all get the attention from us that they need." Because Ashley knew better than anyone of what happened when they didn't.

"Mmmhmm, and where do these kids come from?"

"We can adopt, if that's what you want to do," Ashley said, remembering Clay. "But I kind of like the idea of seeing you pregnant at least once." She smoothed her hand across Spencer's stomach. "But we have plenty of time to think about how we're going to get our little Carlin-Davies."

"I want to take your name," Spencer said suddenly.

"Really?" Ashley asked, surprised.

"Yeah, I want to be Spencer Davies."

"Okay." Ashley didn't want to push it in case Spencer changed her mind. "And we'll have a dog, I've always wanted a dog."

"So you want two point five kids, a dog, two cats and a white picket fence."

"Not a picket fence," Ashley corrected, thinking logically. "The dog would get out, we'd need something higher."

"That sounds good." Spencer could see it. She could see herself being perfectly happy with that.

"Really?"

"Yeah." Spencer buried her head against Ashley's neck, feeling her eyes getting heavy with sleep. "It's perfect."

**TBC**


	16. Sabotage

**Title: Growing Up (Falling Down) 16/23**

**Author: xperimental**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Fandom: South Of Nowhere**

**Pairing: Spencer/Ashley**

**Summary: The end of high school is only the beginning of the rest of their lives…**

* * *

**Chapter 16 - Sabotage**

Three weeks after joining the band, it was time for Ashley to perform her first gig with Under The Covers. And once again, she found herself in the now familiar position of pacing backstage, waiting for Spencer to show up.

_She'd better be here,_ Ashley thought, nervously twisting her engagement ring around on her finger. _I've reminded her enough times._

Ashley peeked out into the crowed from behind the curtain and was relieved to spot a familiar blonde head. She emerged from back stage and pushed her way through the crowd to her fiancée. "Spence, you're here…" She trailed off as she realized that Spencer hadn't come alone. "And you bought Abi. Awesome."

"Hello Ashley," Abi greeted smoothly, looking around at the decent sized crowd. "Looks like a good turn out. Personally, I'm not a fan of cover bands, I find them musically derivative, but Spencer asked me to come for moral support."

Internally, Ashley was seething but on the outside she forced a smile. "That's nice of you." Abi smiled benevolently and Ashley fought the urge to punch her in her stupid smug face.

With perfect timing, Reed appeared at her side. "It's time for us to go on," he informed her before turning his attention to the new arrivals. "Hey Spencer." He totally snubbed Abi, now that Ashley had given them the full story on her, he had gone right off the english girl. "You can sit at that table over there." He pointed to a table close to the stage that was already occupied by two young women. "It's reserved for our groupies."

Spencer smiled politely. "Thanks Reed."

"Two minutes," he said to Ash before disappearing again.

"Don't be nervous," Spencer reassured her jittery fiancee. "You're going to be great."

Ashley mustered up a weak smile, relaxing slightly under the blonde's touch.

"Good luck," Spencer said before kissing her girlfriend as Abi pointedly looked away.

"Yes, break a leg," she drawled, once the couple had stop kissing.

_Yeah, you'd like that wouldn't you._ "Thanks." Ashley kissed Spencer one more time before backing away and returning to her band.

"Dude, are you alright?" Tucker asked Ashley as she slipped the strap of her guitar over her head, still seething over Abi's general existence. "You look like you're about to Hulk out."

Ashley glared as Spencer laughed at something Abi had whispered in her ear. It was so not loud enough in the club for that kind of closeness to be at all necessary. "I'm fine." Or at least she would be once they started playing. Music had always been her escape.

-

"You guys were so good!" Spencer gushed as they entered their apartment. Now that she had finally seen Ashley perform, she totally got the mysterious appeal of rock stars that Ashley had spent so long trying to explain to her. "Even Abi thought you were good."

"What?" Ashley said bitterly. She couldn't keep it in any longer. Why the hell was Abi's opinion deemed so important? "She didn't find us musically derivative?"

"What?" Spencer was confused by her fiancée's annoyance. "Ash, no, she was joking when she said that."

"No, Spencer, she wasn't." _How can she not see it?_ "She's a bitch and I don't like her. In fact, I kind of hate her and I don't like it that you spend so much time with her." _There, I said it. No taking it back now._

"Ashley, she's my friend. Are you seriously telling me to stop hanging out with her just because you don't like her?"

"Would you prefer it if I went behind your back and told her to back off?"

Spencer reeled from the low blow. "I can't believe you just said that to me."

Ashley shrugged, not seeing anything unfair about it.

Spencer nodded acceptingly, she knew what was happening here. "Abi warned me that this might happen. You're jealous, aren't you."

"Yes," Ashley answered without hesitation. This caught Spencer off guard, she'd expected her fiancée to at least make an effort to deny it. "I'm jealous but only because you've given me plenty of reasons to be."

"You don't even know what you're talking about," Spencer said plainly. Why couldn't Ashley understand that she only had eyes for her?

"Don't I? Spencer, you're always with her and when you're not with her, you're talking about her!"

"We're working together on a project and we're study partners-"

"Oh, so clubbing is considered homework now?" Ashley interrupted. It seemed like every night that Ashley had band practice over the last three weeks, Abi had shown up and whisked Spencer off to Trio.

"Well you never want to go with me!" Spencer defended herself. "Abi's my friend and I do stuff with her that I enjoy and I know you're not interested in. Are you telling me that you want to be the one taking me to gay clubs and foreign films?"

Ashley laughed hollowly, feeling everything she'd been bottling up inside bubble up to the surface. "You know what, Spence. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I'm such an embarrassment to you. I'm sorry that I prefer dumb comedies and mindless action movies to the shitty pretentious foreign films you and Abi seem to love so much now. I'm sorry that I'd rather hang out, playing video games with my friends than sit around having pseudo intellectual debates with yours-"

_How can she even think that?_ "I'm not embarrassed by you!" Spencer snapped, not knowing where this was all coming from. "You're being so stupid right now."

"If you're not embarrassed by me then why are you constantly apologizing for me to your friends?" Ashley asked forlornly. She suddenly missed LA and the comparative simplicity of their old circle of friends.

She didn't do it that often, did she? Unable to come up with an answer, Spencer changed the topic back to what had started the fight in the first place. "You know that Abi has a girlfriend, there's **nothing** for you to be jealous of."

"Clearly, that doesn't matter to either of you."

"What are you talking about?" Spencer cried, struggling to follow Ashley's twisted logic. She'd never done anything to betray Ashley's trust and now the older girl was acting like she was cheating on her. "God, I'm going to marry you, what more do you want from me?" she shouted, impossibly frustrated and fed up with the whole thing.

That took the wind right out of Ashley's sails and made her chest hurt. She squeezed her eyes closed to try and keep the tears at bay. _Does she not want to marry me anymore?_ "Maybe that's a question you should be asking yourself." She turned around and opened the door.

_What? What does that even mean? _"Where are you going?" Spencer asked desperately. She didn't want Ashley to go, they needed to finish talking about this.

"Out." Ashley slammed the door shut behind her and ran down the stairs to the ground floor before Spencer could come after her.

"Fuck!" She cussed, smashing her fist into the unforgiving brick wall of the outside of their building. She didn't even feel the pain of her shredded knuckles the impulsive action left her with. She took her phone out of her jacket pocket, glad that she hadn't had time to take it off before they'd begun fighting, and dialed the number of someone she was coming to find she could depend on. "Dylan?" Ashley sniffled when he picked up. "Can I crash at your place tonight?"

**TBC**


	17. In The Cold Light Of Morning

**Title: Growing Up (Falling Down) 17/23**

**Author: xperimental**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Fandom: South Of Nowhere**

**Pairing: Spencer/Ashley**

**Summary: The end of high school is only the beginning of the rest of their lives…**

* * *

**Chapter 17 - In The Cold Light Of Morning **

It was 2am and Spencer was on the phone to Chelsea. Feeling upset, confused and guilty, Chelsea was the only unbiased person Spencer could think of to call. Kyla was out of the question and so was her new BFF, Glen. She couldn't even call her own parents, they adored Ashley now, and she certainly wasn't dumb enough to go to Abi with this. So, even though she hadn't completely forgiven the young artist for breaking her brother's heart, she called Chelsea and explained the situation as she saw it.

"Do you like Abi?" Chelsea asked, once Spencer had finished telling her tale.

_What kind of question is that?_ "Of course, I like her, she's my friend. She's funny, smart, passionate, fun to be around-"

"Do you think she's hot?" Chelsea interrupted.

"Uh, well, I…" Spencer squirmed, before realizing that she was being ridiculous. Abi was a beautiful woman, there was no shame in admitting that. "She's attractive."

"So you're attracted to her," concluded Chelsea.

"No! I didn't mean it like that! Anyone with eyes can see that she's hot. It doesn't mean that I'm **hot for** her. And is everyone forgetting that I'm engaged to Ashley?" Spencer ranted uncontrollably, feeling put upon. She hadn't done anything wrong! "Abi is a friend. That's it. And I don't see why I should have to stop being friends with her just because Ashley is jealous. I mean, I put up with her being friends with Aiden," she continued, obviously not thinking about that had turned out and how much pain it had caused her in the long run.

"You're right," Chelsea said slowly, still trying to digest Spencer's ramble. "You should be allowed to be friends with anyone you want to. But-"

"See, I knew you'd see it my way," Spencer interrupted, completely ignoring the but. "Thanks, Chels. Ashley is just going to have to get over this jealous trip of hers."

"That's not really what I meant, Spence. I think that you should explain how you're feeling to Ashley."

"I will, but it's late here. I have to go to bed. I'll call you again soon, Chels. Bye." Spencer ended the call, secure in feeling that Ashley was being totally irrational with her hatred of Abi. Feeling a hell of a lot less guilty, she said goodnight to the cats and went to bed. Alone.

-

Across town, Ashley had found herself sleeping on a couch again. This one, however had been much less punishing on her lower back. Not that she'd slept much anyway, she'd spent most of the night replaying the fight in her mind. She knew that she'd overreacted slightly when she walked out, she knew that she should've stayed and actually talked things out but she was afraid of what might've been said. What if Spencer realized what Ashley had known all along; Ashley wasn't good enough for her, she never had been. _I mean, really, I'm an emotional retard that didn't even graduate high school. And Spencer's…Spencer! She's perfect and she deserves better._

"Yo, Edward Cullen." Ashley found herself being smacked in the head with a pillow. "Stop brooding."

Ashley stuck her tongue out at Tucker. "I'm not brooding. And I'm way cooler than that lame excuse for a vampire." Seriously, what kind of vampire spent all their time whining about all the awesome things they could do. Ashley would love to be a vampire.

"Whatever," Reed said dismissively, nudging a game controller towards her with his foot. "It's your turn."

Ashley smiled and picked up the controller. She was finally starting to understand what her father was talking about when he said that your band became your extended family.

"This is a pretty sweet house," she remarked to Reed as she thrashed his ass at Dead Or Alive 4. "How can you afford it?" She knew that as a band they hardly made anything, most of the time they played for free drinks down at The Angry Goat, and that's one of the things she liked about them. They had no interest in becoming rich or famous, they just wanted to play the music they loved.

"The 'rents own it," Tucker explained, spooning Frosted Flakes into his mouth. "We all bartend part time and give them fifty bucks a week. It's not much but it keeps them happy."

"Argh!" Reed growled as Ashley's character unleashed a brutal combo on his.

"Not that I mind, but why'd you sleep on our couch last night?" Tucker asked. "Spencer kick you out?"

Ashley started mashing the buttons on her controller more aggressively as she thought about the fight they'd had. "Close. More like I walked out before she could say anything else she would regret."

Tucker nodded compassionately. "Chicks, man. Well, if you need a place to crash, our couch is always open to you."

"Thanks for the offer," Ashley said sincerely. "You know, I'd forgotten how nice it was to have guy friends that don't want to get into my pants. Thanks for the loan of your Star Wars bedspread, by the way."

Tucker gave her the thumbs up and started howling with laughter when her character decapitated his brother's without losing a single point of health.

"That is such bullshit!" Reed cried, throwing his controller away. "You said you've never played this game before."

"I haven't." Ashley shrugged, she was simply blessed with a naturally steep learning curve.

"You're like a fricken savant or something."

"Or maybe you just sucked," Tucker sniped at his twin, putting his empty bowl on the coffee table and gesturing for his brother to toss him the controller. "Let's see how she fares against The Master."

"Oh, by all means." Reed rolled his eyes and threw the game controller at his brother. "Show us how it's done."

As Tucker was going about choosing his character, Dylan's bedroom door opened and the tall man came padding out, half asleep and shirtless.

"On the counter," Reed yelled to his older brother as he stumbled into the kitchen.

A moment later, Dylan reappeared, eating Captain Crunch straight out of the box. As he made his way back to his room, Ashley noticed a tattoo on his bare back, just below his right shoulder blade.

"Who's Bella?" she asked curiously, once the sleepy giant had gone back to bed.

The twins exchanged serious glances and Tucker paused the game. "If we tell you, you can't let Dylan know you know," he warned.

"I won't," Ashley promised, more curious than ever.

"Alright, this is definitely a story that needs to begin at the very beginning," Reed began in a hushed voice.

"Begin at the beginning?" Tucker mocked.

"Shut up," Reed hissed. "Anyway, Dylan was with this girl in high school, they met freshmen year and were together since then, it was all very disgustingly sweet. Halfway through junior year, Kate got pregnant."

"And her parents were super hardcore religious," Tucker took over. "So they made her keep the kid and told Dylan that if he wanted keep seeing Kate and the baby, he had to marry her. So he did."

"Dylan was super stoked about being a dad," Reed continued. "He wouldn't shut up about it, he was always telling us about shit that he'd read in parenting books and asking us what we thought about different names. He even quit the band and got a real part time job so he could take care of them. Anyways, Kate went into labor like three months early. They gave her drugs to try and stop it but it didn't work."

"They had a little girl and named her Bella. Bella Katherine Robertson. They had to put her in one of those special cribs, you know where you can't touch them, cause she was really sick. Her heart and lungs hadn't finished developing properly."

"Dylan spent hours with her everyday. He'd just sit in the chair next to the crib and talk to her. Tell her about how they were going to be this perfect little family and that when she grew up he was going to take her to Disneyland and teach her to swim and ride a bike and shit like that…Then, like, two weeks after she was born, Bella died and Kate lost it."

"Like seriously, lost her shit," Tucker interjected. "She screamed for hours when they told her. Then she shutdown, wouldn't talk or eat or anything. She wouldn't even look at Dylan. Her parents had her put in an institution and used their power of attorney to annul the marriage."

"Is that even legal?" Ashley asked.

The twins shrugged in unison. "Dylan was too tired to try and fight them," Tucker said. "He'd lost pretty much everything. He was pretty depressed for a while. Until one day he got that tattoo. He said that it was to remind him that his little girl was always watching over him so he'd better do this best to make her proud."

Ashley smiled, that was so sweet. She couldn't believe that Dylan had been through all that. "Does he still love Kate?" If he could still love his high school sweetheart after all that, there had to be hope for her and Spencer.

Reed nodded. "Oh yeah, he tries to visit her at least once a month, even if she doesn't talk to him."

"That is so sad," Ashley said. God, it made her want to cry, she couldn't even imagine how painful that must've been. Sure, she had lost a child herself, what felt like a lifetime ago. But her baby had never really felt real to her, she had never even seen it on an ultrasound before she lost it. Dylan had seen his baby, he talked to her, watched her breath and heard her cry, he'd bonded with her and she was taken away from him and that kind of loss was unimaginable to her.

"Yeah," Reed agreed. "So that's why our brother hasn't had a date in five years," he said jovially, the change in tone signaling that the conversation was over.

Tucker took up his controller. "Prepare to have your ass kicked, Davies."

"You wish," Ashley growled, switching back into competitive mode.

She was halfway through handing Tucker's ass to him when her phone started to ring Spencer's assigned ringtone. Ashley scrambled to answer it and Tucker took advantage of her distraction to gain the upper hand and finish her off.

"You cheater!" Ashley mouthed, flipping her phone open. "Hi, Spence."

"Ashley…I'm sorry for being such a bitch last night…and apparently for the last couple of weeks. I didn't mean to make you think that I'm embarrassed by you. Because I'm not, I just really wanted to fit in with my new group of friends and I really wanted them to like you, that's all…I really love you, Ash. I hate fighting with you."

Spencer sounded so miserable that Ashley couldn't take it. She hated it when her girl was sad. "I know. I love you too, Spence." She could practically hear Spencer's smile on the other end of the line. "And I'm sorry, bringing up the whole Aiden thing was a low blow and I shouldn't have said it."

"Where'd you stay last night?" the younger girl asked meekly.

"I slept on the boys' couch. I'm sorry I walked out like that, baby-"

"No, I get it. I get why you did."

"Oh…that's…good."

"Are you…are you coming home tonight?" Spencer asked shyly.

"Do you want me too?" Ashley's voice took on a familiar playful tone.

"Yes!"

Ashley smirked. "Then I'll be home tonight."

"Good. A.J and Luca missed you."

"Are they the only ones?"

"Um, I think Mrs. B was awful lonely without you to say hello to on the stairs."

"Ah," Ashley said knowingly. "My other woman." Mrs. B was 86 and wore a wig.

"Shut up," Spencer giggled before getting serious. "I missed you. I've missed this."

"Me too," Ashley admitted, smacking the boys away as they made kissy faces at her.

"So, I've got some good news, we start filming our movie today and in a week it'll be all done and everything will be back to normal." _About freaking time!_ Ashley thought. "And we need someone to play a busker in the background of some of the shots."

"Oh really? You got anyone in mind?"

"Mmm, I thought you might know someone. Preferably a female, brunette, about 5'2."

"I think I might know someone that fits that description."

"Great, so can you tell her to meet us at your usual spot at about noon today?"

"I'll be sure to pass it along," Ashley said. Unable to wipe the goofy grin of her face, she waited for a reply. "Spence, you still there?"

"Yeah, I…I just don't want this conversation to end," Spencer admitted softly. "I don't want to hang up and have things go back to the way they've been lately."

"They won't, baby," Ashley assured her tenderly. "You're going to hang up and go work on your movie and then, when you're done, we are going to go back to the apartment and…" Ashley suddenly remember the two immature boys listening in. "…reconnect. Okay?"

"Okay, that sounds good." Spencer hesitated. "I love you."

"I love you too, Spence…" She waited and sighed when she could still hear Spencer breathing on the other end of the line. "You're going to make me hang up, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"I'll be there at noon. Bye, Spence." Ashley snapped her phone closed before she could chicken out. She looked at the twins, who were silently laughing hysterically at her. "What?" she whined.

Tucker stopped laughing long enough to point at her and gasped out, "Dude, you are so whipped."

Ashley couldn't resist playing with him. She shook her head pityingly. "Oh no, in my relationship with Spencer, I'm the one who does the whipping when it really counts."

-

Just before noon, Ashley arrived at the park, just as she had promised, and was confronted with the most horrifying thing she'd seen since that stupid movie about the one armed orphan. Abi and Spencer were kissing.

**TBC**


	18. When It All Falls Apart

**Title: Growing Up (Falling Down) 18/23**

**Author: xperimental**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Fandom: South Of Nowhere**

**Pairing: Spencer/Ashley**

**Summary: The end of high school is only the beginning of the rest of their lives…**

**A/N - Sorry for leaving everyone hanging. We had relatives unexpectedly staying with us while my uncle was in the hospital (One of his balls like exploded or something, idk, I didn't ask for details.) But he's okay and they're gone now.**

* * *

**Chapter 18 - When It All Falls Apart**

An indescribable feeling washed over her, comparable only to the pain she'd felt when she'd learned her father had died from an MTV news bulletin. Ashley thought she was going to puke right there on the hill she was standing on, until she noticed the other people gathered around filming them. And unless Spencer was kinkier than she'd thought...

_Of course Abi would find a way to get them to kiss in their stupid project_. Ashley mentally berated herself for thinking that there was anyway that Spencer would cheat on her, especially when she knew that Ashley was going to be there to see it.

-

It was a bad idea, Spencer knew that from the moment it was suggested. But she didn't exactly have much of a choice in the matter. The lesbian couple who were supposed to be playing out their story for the film had cancelled at the very last second and Sky, braintrust that she was, came up with the 'brilliant' idea that Spencer and Abi could take over their roles. Spencer had protested, vehemently, until she was outnumbered, the group reminding her that they had to finish filming that day if they wanted to get the film completed in time for submission and that forty percent of their overall grade was riding on it. While Spencer didn't relish the idea of having to pretend to be in a relationship with the girl who'd been the root of many of the fights she'd been having with her fiancee, she didn't really have a choice; she didn't want to fail and she didn't want to be the reason that anyone else failed either.

So there she was, kissing Abi. It was...nice, she supposed. Abi wasn't a bad kisser by any stretch of the imagination and she had very soft lips. But there was nothing there. No tingles, no innate feeling of excitement, like she got every time Ashley kissed her. Spencer may as well have been kissing a cardboard cutout, for all the feelings it stirred up in her.

Spencer pulled back from the kiss and opened her eyes, her stomach dropped like a lead weight when she spotted Ashley over Abi shoulder. _Oh God! She saw the whole thing, she wasn't supposed to see! She's going to be so hurt. _Spencer pushed Abi out of the way and ran to her emotionally fragile girlfriend, desperate to explain things to the older girl before she got the wrong idea...the wronger idea.

"Ash," Spencer panted desperately when she reached her. "It's not what it looked like, I swear. We're playing a couple in the movie, it didn't mean anything," she tried to convince her girlfriend of the kiss's innocence, unknowingly only succeeding in doing the exact opposite. Ashley's head hung lower with every word the blonde spoke, a terrifying realization washing over her.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," she said sullenly. "Until you tried so hard to deny it." _Nobody tries that hard to deny something, that's supposedly completely innocent, unless they're feeling guilty about something_.

Spencer looked at the crushed brunette in confusion. "Ash, what-"

Ashley steeled herself and looked up, determined not to have this conversation in public, especially not with a vulture like Abigail Parrish looking on. She brushed Spencer off and, ignoring the blonde yelling her name, walked over to Ian who, as far as she could tell, was directing. "So where do you want me?"

-

Ashley made a credible extra, she did exactly what Ian told her and completed the scenes that they wanted her in quite quickly and she did it all without speaking a word to Spencer but not without a lack of trying on the blonde's part.

"So, we good?" she asked Ian after he'd called cut on the last scene she was supposed to be in the background of.

"Yeah, thanks for coming down." He looked at her sympathetically. "You okay?"

"Fine," Ashley answered through gritted teeth.

He leaned in to make sure he wouldn't be overheard. "I don't like her either," he said, clearly referring to Abi.

"Thanks, Ian." Ashley felt Spencer's presence and knew the younger girl was hovering behind her.

"Ash-"

"I'll see you at home." She picked up her guitar case and walked away. Sure, maybe she was being unreasonable, maybe she was overreacting. But she was just so tired and felt so defeated after everything that had happened over the last month or so, that this was the final straw for her. She couldn't deal with it anymore.

**TBC**


	19. It's Cool, We Can Still Be Friends

**Title: Growing Up (Falling Down) 19/23**

**Author: xperimental**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Fandom: South Of Nowhere**

**Pairing: Spencer/Ashley**

**Summary: The end of high school is only the beginning of the rest of their lives…**

* * *

**Chapter 19 - It's Cool, We Can Still Be Friends**

Spencer could barely concentrate on what she was doing for the rest of the afternoon, she was so worried about what would happen when she returned home. She didn't even know if Ashley was still going to be there. She wanted to go after her but was forced to stay, for the same reason she was forced to kiss Abi.

Luckily, they decided to wrap things up a little early when dark storm clouds threatened to pour down on them. They figured that they had enough footage and there was no way the college students were going to risk getting the school's expensive equipment wet.

Thunder boomed ominously in the distance as Spencer ascended the stairs to the second floor apartment she shared with the love of her life. She fought the urge to run away and put off the inevitable confrontation for as long as possible, she owed Ashley more than that.

She opened the door to find her fiancée sitting on top of her expensive Louis Vuitton luggage with tears in her eyes. The red rims around them told Spencer that the brunette had been crying for hours.

"What's going on, Ash?"

"I'm leaving."

"You're going to stay with the boys?" Spencer asked hopefully. Under the circumstances it was the best scenario that her frantic mind could come up with.

Ashley shook her head, refusing to look at the blonde. "I'm moving back to LA," she said flatly, all the fight gone from her. Lightning flashed outside with a loud crack and the downpour began.

"No! Ash…you don't have to go. If this is about the kiss, I told you-"

"It's not…" Ashley began hotly before catching herself. "Okay, it kind of is. But things have been off between us for a long time. Spence, we haven't had sex in weeks. We used to do it every day. Twice!"

"Is that what this is about?" Spencer asked, desperately trying to shed her clothes. She'd gotten rid of her jacket and started working on her belt buckle. "Then let's do it. Right now." Ashley stood and grabbed Spencer's hands in her own, forcing her to stop. "What are you doing? Come on, let's fuck!"

"No! Spence, that's not…" She stopped and hung her head. "I think we rushed into getting engaged," she admitted.

Spencer reeled. "What, has your commitment phobia finally caught up with you and you realized that you're not ready?"

"No, baby," Ashley said gently. "You're the one that's not ready."

"Are you saying that this is my fault?"

"No. It's not your fault. I've been thinking about this a lot and I think that we're just at different stages of our lives. You want to go out and explore, I get that. I do. You're at the stage where you want to go out clubbing and meet new people and try new things. I've already been there and done that and I know that it's not for me, it never really was. I went clubbing and slept around and took in random strays because I was looking for something and then I met you and I found it, I don't need to do that anymore. You're it for me...but maybe I'm not it for you."

"No, I don't. You're the only thing I want."

"How do you know?" Ashley asked, all her old insecurities had come rushing back over the last couple of weeks. "I'm the only girl you've ever been with. Maybe there's someone better out there for you and I don't want to hold you back from finding them."

"You're not!" Spencer said fiercely.

Ashley bit her lip and went back to the speech she had rehearsed a hundred times while she was waiting for Spencer to come home. "It feels like we hardly ever see each other anymore and when we do, we fight. And I know that if I stay, things are just going to get worse and I really don't want us to end up hating each other."

Spencer was in shock. How could this be happening? They were supposed to be getting married! No. This wasn't going to happen. She wasn't going to just let Ashley run away without a fight. "We won't," she said assuredly. "Can we just sit down and talk about this?"

"But-"

"Sit!" Spencer ordered.

Ashley instantly complied, sitting down on the couch like an obedient dog. Spencer knelt in front of her, taking her hands in her own and smiling gently. "I'm not going to let you run away this time. We're going to talk about this...for once."

Ashley hung her head, defeated. "You deserve better than me, Spence."

Spencer was stunned. She knew that Ashley didn't have the best self-esteem, though she hid it well behind her bravado and barely there clothes, but she had no idea it was this bad. "Don't you think that should be up to me to decide?"

Ashley shrugged. She knew Spencer, even if she did finally figure it out, she was too kind hearted to do anything about it; she'd stay with Ashley just to spare the older girl's feelings. "I'm just saying that Abi-"

"No," Spencer cut her off. "Abi is not even a factor here. I don't want her. I don't want anybody else. I just want you," she proclaimed passionately. "Why is it so hard for you to see that?"

"Spence, I didn't even graduate high school."_ If it wasn't for the millions of dollars sitting in my bank account, I'd be a total loser. But I know that money doesn't mean anything to Spencer._

Spencer took Ashley face in her hands, she wanted the sulking girl's full attention. "Don't do that," she said fiercely, hating when Ashley put herself down. "Ashley, you are not stupid. Sure, sometimes you do really stupid things." Spencer looked pointedly at Ashley packed suitcases and Ashley had the grace to look ashamed. "But you're not stupid. And so what if you didn't graduate? I don't care. I've never cared about that."

Spencer lent back and grabbed one of the filled in music sheets that Ashley always had strewn all over the coffee table. "Look at this," she said, waving the paper around. "So school wasn't for you, it doesn't matter. You can do this. I can't even tell a C from an F but it's so easy for you. I watch you sit there and fill page after page without even having to stop and think about it...God, you are so amazingly talented." Spencer sighed and wondered if any of this was getting through the years of Ashley being told, in one way or another, that she wasn't good enough by everyone that was important in her life. "I just really wish that you could see yourself the way that I see you," she said softly, looking at Ashley with nothing but love and adoration in her eyes.

Ashley allowed herself a small smile. "But what if there's someone out there that's better for you and I'm holding you back-"

"You're not because there isn't," Spencer said with such certainty that it took Ashley by surprise. "You said that I'm it for you, well it's exactly the same for me. Ashley, there is nothing I want more than to marry you, and I am so sorry that I made you doubt that."

"Are you absolutely sure? Because-"

This time, Spencer cut her off with her lips. "I'm sure," she whispered, when she pulled back. She moved to sit next to Ashley on the couch, keeping a hold of her hands. "And tomorrow I'm going to meet Abi and tell her that we won't be hanging out together anymore."

Ashley shook her head. Now she knew for sure that Abi wasn't a threat, the idea of Spencer spending time with her didn't bother her. Okay, that was a lie. It still bothered her, just not quite as much as it did before. "You don't have to do that."

"Yeah, I do," Spencer sighed. While she didn't think that Abi was romantically interested in her, she did have to admit that Ashley had a better sense of these things than she did. Deep down, she was still the small town girl who'd been bought up to always believe the best in people, while Ashley had a more cynical and probably more realistic world view. "If it's really bothering you this much, I do. Why didn't you just tell me how you were feeling earlier?"

Ashley laughed at herself, feeling even stupider than before. "I didn't want to upset you."

"Yeah, that worked really well," Spencer allow herself to giggle. Sighing, she opened her arms for Ashley to cuddle up to her which her fiancée did gladly. "You know a whole lotta drama could've been avoided if we'd just talked about this."

"Well, you know us, Spence, we're always about the drama."

"Mmm, well not anymore, okay? I really wouldn't mind living a drama free existence from now on."

Ashley smiled, feeling more secure and content than she'd felt in a long time. "You don't think it'd be a little boring?" She couldn't imagine their lives without the stupid kind of drama that sometimes made her feel like she was living in some crappy teen show.

"I don't think we could ever be boring," Spencer assured her.

"You know I love you more than anything, right?" Ashley asked softly, burrowing deeper into Spencer's embrace. She was kidding herself, thinking that she could walk away from this.

"I know. Do you know that I love you more than anything?" Spencer's question had a little more weight to it.

"I think you've made it pretty clear tonight."

Ashley's ambiguous answer wasn't enough for Spencer. She wanted to know for sure that she'd gotten through to her lover. "But do you believe it?"

Ashley pulled back and looked Spencer dead in the eye. The blonde didn't shy away from her intense gaze. "Yeah, I do," she uttered softly after a long moment. "I don't know why you would-"

"Ash."

"But I believe you."

"Good. So no more of this trying to leave me for my own good, okay?"

Ashley rolled her eyes and nodded.

Spencer took that as a yes. "Now," she said, standing and pulling Ashley up of the couch with her. "I think we should have an early night." Sure, finals were starting in a week and she probably should've been studying, but that didn't matter to her right now.

Ashley grinned, her first full blown, nose crinkling smile in weeks. "I'm down with that."

**TBC**


	20. Breaking Up Is Easy To Do

**Title: Growing Up (Falling Down) 20/23**

**Author: xperimental**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Fandom: South Of Nowhere**

**Pairing: Spencer/Ashley**

**Summary: The end of high school is only the beginning of the rest of their lives…**

* * *

**Chapter 20 - Breaking Up Is Easy To Do**

The next afternoon, Spencer walked into the café she'd arranged to meet Abi at, clinging to Ashley's hand. She'd been extra clingy ever since they'd made up the night before and she hadn't let her girlfriend out of her sight since.

"There she is," Spencer said, spotting the back of Abi's head at a table by the wall. She knew that the English girl had this weird thing about always sitting with her back to the door.

Ashley rubbed the small of Spencer's back reassuringly. "You know, you-"

"If you tell me that I don't have to do this, one more time, I…I won't have sex with you for a week."

Ashley laughed at the empty threat and kissed the younger girl's forehead. "Sure, you won't."

Spencer pouted at her own inability to act tough. It had always been a failing of hers, dating back to the time when Glen had kidnapped her Troll dolls and refused to tell her where they were. The best the enraged seven year old could come up with was to threaten to burn the cake she'd been baking for him in her Easy-Bake oven. She was bought out of her thoughts by Ashley gently squeezing her waist. "Hmm?"

"I said," Ashley began repeating herself. "That I'll get us some food, I thought we could have lunch in the park." She nodded to the menu boards above the counter. "What do you want?"

Spencer knew that this was Ashley's way of giving her the privacy to do what she had to do with Abi and she loved her for it. "You know what I like, you decide." She kissed her frowning girlfriend on the cheek and left her standing in line.

"Hey, Abi," Spencer said, approaching the girl, nervously playing with her fingers. She'd always hated letting other people down, regardless of the reason; it always made her feel awful.

"Spencer." Abi broke out into a smile as she looked up at the blonde, it soon turned into a frown as she took in the younger girl's solemn expression. "What's wrong?"

"Can we talk?" Spencer asked, taking a seat across from the brunette.

"Sure."

"Um," _How exactly am I supposed to do this?_ Spencer had never really had to, for lack of a better term, break up with a friend before. "I don't think we should see each other anymore."

Abi blinked, surprised. "Excuse me?"

"I mean, I'll finish working on the project with you but outside of that-" Spencer rambled.

"And what bought this on?" Abi asked, leaning back in her chair, looking impossibly smug. "Let me guess. Ashley? I told you, Spencer, you can't let her control your life."

Spencer frowned. "I'm not. This is entirely my decision and it's my decision to end this friendship. I'm sorry if you can't accept that."

Abi laughed, not looking at all phased. She was Abigail Parrish, she'd never lost a woman she'd set her sights on and she wasn't about to start now. "I could accept it if I thought it was your choice."

Spencer looked at Abi, suspiciously. "Abi…" She began slowly. "Do you have feelings for me?"

Abi leaned forward, taking Spencer's hands in her own. "I'm just concerned about you, Spencer. You could so much better than…her," she said, wrinkling her nose up in distaste.

Spencer pulled her hands away. She was glad that Ashley wasn't close enough to hear Abi say that, it might've sent her into another one of her self-loathing spirals. "You don't know anything about our relationship and, quite frankly, I don't care what you think. I know that Ashley's all I'll ever need."

Rolling her eyes at Spencer's naive words, Abi shook her head. "You know, finals are coming up…"

"I know."

"Well, we were going to study together. How do expect to pass-"

"I think I'll be fine, thanks," Spencer cut her off sharply, not liking what she was insinuating. "Besides, Ashley can help me."

Abi scoffed, she couldn't help it. "Her?" She almost laughed.

Spencer glared at the brunette, wondering how she could've been so oblivious. "Goodbye Abi," she said firmly, standing and walking away without looking back. She joined Ashley at the counter where she was waiting for the food she'd ordered.

"How'd it go with The English Patient?" Ashley asked the girl cuddling against her side. Spencer grunted and buried her face against Ashley's neck. "That well, huh?"

A plastic bag containing their lunch was placed on the counter in front of them and Ashley handed over the money. Spencer perked right up at the scent of food. "Ooh, what'd you get me?"

Ashley took the bag in one hand and Spencer's hand in the other as they walked out of the café, leaving a fuming Abigail behind. For good.

"Turkey and mustard on white bread with extra pickles, cheese and onions." While the sandwich didn't sound at all appealing to Ashley, she knew that Spencer loved it; she figured it must've been some weird mid-western thing.

Spencer grinned at her. "You know me so well."

"Just don't expect me to kiss you after you've eaten it."

-

That night they lay side by side in bed, Spencer studying and Ashley reading Breaking Dawn. She hated the books with a passion but she still read them when she was bored, mainly to laugh at how much of a creepy stalkerish pussy Edward was. _Worst vampire ever._ She was about halfway through the book when she abruptly closed it and threw it across the room.

"Hey, Spence?" she asked in a strange voice, looking pale.

"Yeah?" Spencer said, distractedly.

"Remember how I said that I wanted you to have our babies?"

Now Spencer started paying a little more attention. "Yeah."

"I changed my mind," Ashley said, slowly shaking her head. Try as she might, she couldn't erase that horrible scene from her mind. She'd been traumatized! She should've known that reading for fun was a bad idea! "No babies. Never any babies."

Spencer smirked and patted her traumatized girlfriend on the head. "Okay, Ash," she agreed easily. She heard all about how hilariously horrific that book was from one of the girls in her writing class and while she'd thought about warning her fiancée, Spencer decided that it'd be funnier if she didn't. She was right. "Do you want to cuddle?"

Ashley nodded rapidly. She'd never had a cuddly toy growing up but, luckily, now she had Spencer. Spencer rolled on her side, sighing when she felt the brunette's arms go around her and felt the warm body mold itself against her back. It felt so familiar, it felt so right. "I love you, Ash."

Ashley kissed the back of her neck. "I love you too, baby."

**TBC **


	21. Summer Loving

**Title: Growing Up (Falling Down) 21/23**

**Author: xperimental**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Fandom: South Of Nowhere**

**Pairing: Spencer/Ashley**

**Summary: The end of high school is only the beginning of the rest of their lives…**

* * *

**Chapter 21 - Summer Loving**

"You know, I'm actually really happy to have you back," Kyla said, in between bites of her ice cream sundae. Finals were over, summer vacation was just beginning and Spencer and Ashley were back home in sunny, heat wave stricken Los Angeles. "Now you can help out with the slave auction I'm organizing."

Ashley pursed her lips, looking at her sister in concern. "Uh, Ky, I don't exactly know what you're doing with your homeless people but I am fairly certain that slavery has been illegal for a while."

Kyla giggled and shook her head. "It's a fundraiser I'm organizing, for the shelter, where we auction off volunteers to be the slaves of the highest bidders for a day."

Relieved that her little sister wasn't involved in some sort of human trafficking racket, Ashley went back to eating her ice cream. "So what do you need me for?"

"I need you to be one of my slaves."

"What? No!"

"Come on, Ash. It's for charity."

"Can't I just make a donation?" Ashley whined, reluctantly.

Kyla shook her head again and added more sprinkles to her sundae. "Nope. I need some girls to auction…C'mon Ash, Glen and Mr Carlin have both signed up." She could see that Ashley was on the verge of cracking. Her sister had become such a pushover since she'd gotten engaged. "Besides, we both know that Spencer will be your winning bidder and being her slave will just be like a normal day for you, anyway."

Ashley had never been so offended in her life. "Why does everyone think I'm whipped? I am not whipped! Spencer, tell her I'm not whipped," she whined to her fiancée who'd just arrived, with her brother in tow.

"She's not whipped," Spencer agreed easily, hugging the pouting girl from behind. "She just likes to make me happy."

Glen coughed out, "Whipped!" behind his hand making Kyla laugh and Spencer smirk.

Ashley pouted and started aggressively stabbing her spoon into her rapidly melting ice cream, mumbling about how she wasn't whipped.

"So can I sign you up?" Kyla asked.

"Whatever," Ashley said, still sulking. It was too damn hot and everyone was making fun of her, it just wasn't fair! "I hate summer," she groaned, laying her head down on the cool countertop.

"I like summer," said Spencer, sitting on the stool next to Ashley. Glen had to agree with his sister. The Davies sisters walking around in nothing but bikini tops and booty shorts made the heat more than bearable in his book. "When we were living in Ohio we used to go camping every summer holidays," she recalled fondly.

"I've never been camping," Ashley revealed. "Although, when I was ten, I did go through a phase where I slept in a tent in my backyard every night for like a month…but that was mostly so I wouldn't have to listen to my mother bang her manmeat of the moment."

Nobody was quite sure how to respond to that, so they just stayed uncomfortably quiet until Spencer came up with a brilliant idea. "We should go!"

Ashley raised her head from the counter and looked dubiously at her girlfriend. "Me? Camping?"

Spencer nodded encouragingly. "You might like it. You'll never know until you try."

"Yeah, okay, we can go," Ashley caved.

"Yay!" Spencer cheered like a dork.

"So when are we going?" Kyla asked, inviting herself along.

Ashley glared at her sister. Was it wrong that she was thinking of getting a stack of business cards that had Kyla Woods: Professional Cockblocker, printed on them to give to Kyla for her birthday?

But Spencer was more than happy to have her along. "Well, when's your slave auction thing?"

"Wait," Ashley interrupted. "You knew about that?" _And didn't warn me? Not cool, Spence._

"Glen told me about it on the way over," Spencer said, touching the back of Ashley's head comfortingly.

"You can count me in too," Glen said.

"But you hate camping." Spencer eyed her brother suspiciously, trying to figure out what he was up to. The last time he went camping, it took him a week to stop bitching about the experience. Although, Aiden had gone with him so his ire was understandable.

"Pfft. No, I don't. Besides, you girls are going to need a big strong man to protect you."

"What, so you're going to bring him along too?" Ashley asked sarcastically. Glen shot her an equally sarcastic smile, knowing that there was nothing behind her words.

"This is going to be so great!" Kyla said enthusiastically. "Okay, so the auction is in two days, so anytime after that is good for me."

"How about next weekend, does that work for everyone?" Spencer asked. She was excited about going camping again, she'd loved the outdoors when she was younger but hadn't had the opportunity to indulge her outdoorsy side since moving to LA. When everyone answered into the affirmative, she clapped her hands together and bounced in her seat. "This is going to be so great!"

_Two days in the wilderness with my sister, my girlfriend and her brother. _Ashley thought to herself. _How can it not be._

-

"Ashley Davies, long time, no see. You look good."

Ashley turned around to face the blonde behind the bar. "Thanks, Cat," she said with a genuine smile. "You do too." Apparently, homeless people wasn't a cool enough cause for Ego to be rented out to, so Kyla, on Ashley's suggestion had turned to their old stomping ground for a venue to hold her slave auction.

"So how are you doing?" Cat asked while preparing a drink. For two years she'd watched the girl before her go through some pretty dark times but knew that underneath it all, Ashley was a good kid with a kind heart.

"Good. Really good. Actually, I'm engaged now." Ashley proudly showing off her ring.

"Engaged to?" Cat eyed the ring cautiously. The last time she'd seen Ashley, her romantic future was looking awfully bleak.

"Spencer."

"Really?" Cat was genuinely happy for Ashley, she'd always rooted for those crazy kids to get it together. "That's great. Congratulations." She set the drink she'd been preparing down on the bar in front of Ashley. "It's on the house."

Ashley grinned and took a sip of the cranberry juice. "Uh, Cat? There's vodka in this."

"I figured that I'd save you the trouble of getting your flask out."

"Oh. You knew about that, huh," Ashley mumbled sheepishly into her drink.

"Uh, yeah, I knew about that. But I figured it was better that you were doing it here where I could keep an eye on you."

"Thanks, Cat," the brunette said gratefully. "You actually helped me out a lot back than, so…thanks."

"No problem. But if you really wanted to thank me, you could come in here more often."

"I would but I'm actually living in Boston now, Spencer's going to school there. We're just back for summer vacation." Ashley felt bad about essentially abandoning her old hang out for the much less awesome Ego. "But while were here we'll totally be dropping by more."

"Glad to hear it." Cat sure could use the extra business, between the competition with Ego and losing some of her more profitable customers, her club wasn't really doing that well, that's why she'd agreed to hold the fundraiser.

"Hey," Spencer greeted coming up from behind her girlfriend and kissing her on the lips.

"Hey, yourself." Ashley pulled Spencer into her lap and stopped her when she tried to take a drink of Ashley's Vodka Cranberry. "Oh no you don't."

"Why not? I'm thirsty." Spencer pouted.

"Because I don't want you getting wasted and bidding all crazy because you think everything is awesome," Ashley explained. She still couldn't figure out why vodka had such a strong effect on the blonde but she did know that one drink and Spencer was gone. "Cat, can you get her a coke please?"

"Sure thing."

"So where's the family?" Ashley asked as Cat disappeared to get Spencer her soda.

"Mom and Dad are getting a table and Glen went to go and find Kyla."

"Oh, really?" _They are so hot for each other._ Then Ashley spotted Kyla coming towards her at warp speed, looking very official with her clipboard. "Uh-oh." She tried to hide behind Spencer. Of course, that didn't exactly work out.

"We're starting in five," Kyla informed her. She slapped a small bottle of baby oil against Ashley's chest. "So take your shirt off and oil up."

"Oil up?" Ashley repeated in confusion. She grimaced at Spencer as Kyla chased after another of the volunteers. "Who does she think I am? Aiden?" Ashley was highly offended that her sister would try to exploit her like that and drew back her arm to throw the baby oil bottle at the back of Kyla's head. Fortunately, Spencer stopped her before she could do any damage and took the bottle out of her hand.

"Don't throw it away, we can use it later."

Ashley smirked rakishly at her girlfriend. "Kinky. I like it."

"Of course you do."

-

Half an hour later, the auction was in full swing. So far the highest bid was for some random gym junkie, Kyla had recruited, that had actually gone for the shirtless oiled up look. He went for four hundred dollars. And now it was Arthur's turn on the auction block.

"Next up, we have Arthur Carlin," the MC announced, reading off the intro cards Kyla had made for him. "Arthur is a sensitive new aged guy who used to be in the Peace Corps and loves to cook. Bidding starts at fifty dollars, do I hear fifty dollars."

Paula raised her hand. "Fifty."

And was immediately raised by a middle aged woman wearing an improper amount of pink. "Seventy."

Paula frowned. "Ninety."

"One hundred!" Another lady, dressed immaculately in Prada joined the bidding.

"One fifty!" Spencer and Ashley turned around to look at Cat, who just shrugged. "What? I need a new cook."

"Two hundred," Prada lady one upped her.

Pinky would not say die. "Three hundred!"

"Three fifty," a new bidder joined the fray.

"Three seventy!" Ashley jumped in gleefully. Spencer smacked her on the arm lightly.

"Four hundred!" The devil wears Prada bid.

_This is ridiculous, I will not be outbid for my own husband._ Paula thought, leaping to her feet. "Five hundred dollars!"

Arthur, although he was loving all the attention, knew that Paula was likely to cut a bitch if she lost, so he grabbed the hammer out of the MC's hand and slammed it down. "Sold!"

The MC shrugged and went with it. "Sold for five hundred dollars, our highest bid of the night so far," he said as Arthur hopped off stage and shared a kiss with his wife. The crowd grumbled with disappointment that the highly exciting bidding war was over. "Next up, we have Glen Carlin." The blond boy took to the stage. "The former star point guard of the King High Cobras and self described guitar hero who now works in the exciting field of retail. Bidding starts at twenty dollars."

An overweight balding man put his hand up. "Twenty."

There was a long silence before the MC jumped in. "We have twenty, do I hear thirty?...Anybody?"

"Thirty," Paula made a pity bid.

Spencer elbowed Ashley. "What?" Ashley asked.

"Make a bid, this is just embarrassing," the blonde whispered to her, wanting to spare her brother humiliation.

"Relax," Ashley assured her. "Kyla's got it under control."

"Two hundred," Kyla bid.

When all was quiet, the MC put his hammer down. "Sold for two hundred dollars."

Glen jumped down off the stage, smiling gratefully at Kyla as he handed over his rolled up contract to her. She just laughed and hugged him.

"And now last but certainly not least, we have Ashley Davies. Ashley is daughter of rock legend Raife Davies and a very successful songwriter, who is also smoking hot."

Ashley rolled her eyes at the description Kyla had written for her as she made her way up onto the stage to a flurry of wolf whistles from the bored guys that had been dragged along by their girlfriends. She gave a half-hearted wave to the crowd.

"Bidding starts at one hundred dollars."

"One fifty!" Spencer jumped in immediately.

"Three hundred!" One of the guys called out.

"Five hundred!" Another guy bid, much to the chagrin of his girlfriend.

"Seven hundred," Spencer snapped back immediately.

The two guys got together and after a brief discussion made a collective bid. "One thousand!"

Ashley looked expectantly at Spencer, who just shrugged helplessly. Seven hundred was all they brought with them in cash. Ashley grimaced and turned to the MC. "Do you guys take credit cards?"

The MC turned from the microphone to answer her. "We do now."

Ashley nodded to Spencer. "Go for it, Spence."

Spencer jumped up and made her final bid. It was time to claim Ashley as her's once and for all. "Five thousand dollars!" A collective gasp went through the crowd. And the guys who'd been bidding on her groaned and surrendered.

"Sold!"

The crowd cheered as Ashley jumped off the stage and picked Spencer up, kissing her soundly.

"Five thousand bucks, huh," Ashley said smugly. "And I didn't even have to take my shirt off." She set Spencer back down on her feet. "Although, you probably could've gotten me for less."

Spencer gave her an affectionate eskimo kiss. "You're worthy every penny."

"Mmm." Ashley playfully tugged Spencer closer by the belt loops on her jeans. "Especially since it's not your money." She handed over her contract. "So master, what are you going to make me do?"

Spencer grinned mischievously. "I have a few things in mind," she said, teasingly.

_I'm liking the sound of that._

**TBC**


	22. Into The Woods

**Title: Growing Up (Falling Down) 22/23**

**Author: xperimental**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Fandom: South Of Nowhere**

**Pairing: Spencer/Ashley**

**Summary: The end of high school is only the beginning of the rest of their lives…**

* * *

**Chapter 22 - Into The Woods**

Kyla yawned and lifted her head off Glen's shoulder. _This is the last time I ever do that,_ she thought, rolling her stiff neck. As part of his slavely duty, Glen had spent the entire night watching horror movies with her. She loved them but they terrified her to the point where she couldn't watch them alone and Ashley refused to watch them with her after the last time.

_Couldn't feel her arm for a week, my ass. She is such a drama queen_. Kyla carefully slipped out from under the blond boy's arm and stood up. She needed coffee and her yoga mat, in that order.

She left Glen still snoring on the couch and padded into the kitchen to find her sister and Spencer already sitting at the counter in their robes. "What happened to you?" she asked Ashley, who had an ice pack pressed against one side of her face.

Ashley rolled her uncovered eye. "There was an incident with the baby oil."

"Basically, she poured enough on me to turn me into a human slip 'n' slide," Spencer elaborated further. "She went flying off me and took a header into the bedside table."

Kyla wasn't fazed by their overshare; after months of being forced to listen to them having sex she had become completely desensitized to it. "So that's what that crash was," she muttered to herself, pouring a cup of coffee.

Ashley removed the ice pack and turned to Spencer. "How does it look? Am I hideously scarred?"

Spencer gently poked the reddened, slightly swollen skin around Ashley's cheekbone. "Yes," she deadpanned. "I can never be seen with you in public again."

Ashley grimaced. "I'd laugh but it hurts."

"Aw." Spencer kissed her cheek and rubbed her back comfortingly. "Don't worry, I still love you."

"So why are you two up so early?" Kyla asked, buttering some toast. "I didn't think I've seen you guys up before ten since you've been back."

"Uh, we're going camping today," Ashley reminded her. "You know, that thing with the tents-"

"Yeah, I know what camping is, thanks. It just slipped my mind is all."

Spencer frowned. "We reminded you last night. It's why Glen spent the night sleeping on our couch. Actually." She looked at the clock and noticed how late it was getting. "Do you think you could wake him up? We should be thinking about making a move."

"No need." Glen joined the girls, yawing and rubbing his arm.

Ashley noticed. "Ah, I see you've fallen victim to the Kyla Woods Grip Of Death."

Glen nodded, stealing a piece of Kyla's freshly buttered toast and taking a huge bite. "And I have the bruises to prove it," he said, crumbs flying out of his full mouth. Kyla punched him in his sore arm, making him flinch. "Will the abuse never end?" he cried dramatically.

"Come on, slave boy," Kyla ordered, sauntering off towards her room. Glen thought about reminding her that her ownership of him had already expired but then realized, why the hell would he do that?

"I'm not like that with you, am I?" Ashley asked Spencer as they watched Glen pathetically trail after Kyla.

"No...You're worse." Ashley looked at her girlfriend, not at all amused. Spencer just shrugged and pulled her off her stool. "Come on, we need to get dressed. We're going camping!"

-

"I thought you sold this car," Glen said as they drove towards the mountains in Ashley's old SUV.

"Nah, I just had it put into storage. It holds so many fond memories that I couldn't bear to part with it." Ashley affectionately patted the steering wheel. She glanced at her sisters reflection in the rear view mirror and smirked. "Especially the back seat."

Kyla shuddered and shifted uncomfortably on said seat. Who knew what kind of…fluids had been spilt on it. "Ew."

Ashley laughed softly to herself, the only thing she loved more than Spencer was freaking her half-sister out. "Spence, remember the time-"

"Stop!" Glen cried out, slapping his hands over his ears. "For the love of god, just stop right there."

"What? I was just asking Spencer if she remembered the day we skipped school to go the beach and she told me that she thought she liked girls."

Spencer giggled at her older brother's red face. "And you responded by latching onto some random guys."

Ashley rolled her eyes and sighed. "Because you wanted me to tell you whether you were gay or not and I was so not ready for that kind of responsibility…You know, I've always wondered, when you talked about seeing the cute guy and being more interested in the girl next to him. I was the girl, right?"

"Hmmm." Spencer pursed her lips, pretending to think. She knew that her answer would get a rise out of her fiancée. "Nope."

"Ohhh, burn!" yelled Glen.

"Shut it, Kelso," Ashley snapped. "Who were you talking about then?"

Spencer cringed preemptively. "Madison."

"What?!" The three other occupants of the car screeched in unison.

"Well, her and Aiden were the first people I really met here and I was more attracted to her than I was to him."

"I'm more attracted to a porcupine than I am to Aiden," Kyla scoffed, painfully aware that that most definitely hadn't always been the case. "Doesn't make me gay. It just means that I have good taste."

Ashley ignored her sister's comment. "Whatever. I'm just glad I came back for you before Madison tricked you into drinking the cheerbreeder Kool Aid."

"Why did you?" Glen asked curiously. He remembered that, back then, all he heard about in regards to Ashley was what a raging bitch she was.

Ashley shrugged, sneaking a quick glace at Spencer who was watching her with great interest. She wanted to know the answer to that too. "I thought that she was a cute little baby dyke and I wanted to get into her pants." Spencer's jaw dropped and she was about to express her indignation when Ashley continued to speak. "But then I spent the afternoon with her and I realized that she wasn't just going to be some cheap one night stand."

"Aw," Spencer cooed. "That's so sweet…Wait, you thought I was gay when we first met? I didn't even know I was gay back then."

"That's because you have no gaydar, Spencer," Kyla said. "God, all it took was one look at you for me to know."

Spencer turned round in her seat. "What? No way. How?" She didn't fit any of the stereotypes, did she? Not that Spencer really knew what any of the stereotypes were.

"It's in her blood, baby. The Davies gaydar is infallible," Ashley bragged.

"Unlike your navigational skills," Glen grumbled. He wished he could've driven and not just because it was such a sweet car. "Are we there yet?"

"Uh." Ashley focused her full attention back on the road and realized that she had no idea where they were. "Spence?"

Luckily for them, Spencer could multitask. She nodded to Ashley that she was doing fine. "Just keep following this road. We'll be there in no time."

-

No time, two hours later, same thing. At least, that's what Spencer insisted when they finally pulled up at their campsite. As soon as they arrived, Spencer started handing out orders with military-like precision. Ashley wasn't going to lie, it was kinda hot.

First thing Spencer ordered them to do was set up the tents. Spencer and Ashley were going to share one that probably could've fit ten people inside with room to spare, Kyla had her own two person tent and Glen had brought his pup tent that had served him well all through his childhood.

Ashley stood back, marveling at how easily Spencer put their tent up. "How are you so good at this?"

"She used to be in Boy Scouts," Glen chipped in before Spencer could answer her.

"It was not Boy Scouts!" Spencer protested. "It was Young Adventurers."

Glen stopped trying to pull his tent out of it's bag long enough to smirk at his sister. "Uh-huh, and how many other girls were there in 'Young Adventurers'."

Spencer grimaced, toeing at the dirt. "None," she reluctantly admitted.

"See? Boy Scouts."

Ashley laughed at her pouting girlfriend. "And again I ask, how did you not know you were gay?"

"Better yet, how didn't we know she was gay?" Glen questioned, tugging on his tent again. Finally the rolled up tent popped out of the bag, releasing a rancid smell into the air.

"Oh god, what is that?" Ashley gagged out.

"Glen's manky tent," Spencer said, backing away from the source of the stench. "It's worse than his gym bag."

Glen tried not to breathe as he unrolled the tent, searching for the source of the smell. "Oops. I guess I should've aired this out first," he said, discovering a sandwich that had slowly been decomposing in there for over a year. He looked to Spencer. "Can I-"

"No," the blonde and her girlfriend answered in unison. No way were they going to let Glen share a tent with them.

"You can share with me," Kyla offered, still struggling to erect her tent. "As long as you help me set this thing up."

"Sweet." Glen haphazardly stuffed his pup tent back in it's bag and bounced over to give Kyla a hand, oblivious to amused looks being exchanged between their siblings.

-

"- and they never found the body. To this day, people still swear that they see the old hermit, watching them from the trees, waiting for the time to strike," Glen finished his story ominously.

Once it had gotten dark they had gathered around the campfire, that Spencer had dutifully started, to have dinner and Glen had broken out into a lame ghost story.

"Yeah right, Glen," Ashley scoffed. "There just happens to be a murderous hermit in the same place we're camping. You're so full of shit."

Glen held up his hands. "It's not my place to say if it's true or not. I'm just repeating what I heard from the guy at the gas station."

"You mean the hobo wearing the cowboy hat?" aka the creep who'd pestered them until Ashley had finally gotten fed up and shoved a hundred dollar bill at the man and told him to fuck off. "He probably is the murderous hermit…You know, if he existed, which he doesn't," Ashley added, after Kyla started to whimper in fear.

"If you say so."

Ashley satisfied with his answer, turned her attention back to Spencer as she attempted to teach her how to make S'mores.

"I don't get it," Ashley said, examining the charred marshmallow on the end of her stick. "Burnt marshmallows are gross."

"Not when they're wrapped in delicious chocolate and crackers they ain't," Spencer corrected. "You've just have to learn how to toast them without letting them catch on fire." She pulled back her stick, displaying her perfectly browned marshmallow to the older girl. "See?"

Ashley smiled at Spencer, enjoying seeing this new side to the girl she thought she knew everything about. Who would've thought that the great outdoors were Spencer's element.

"And on that note," Glen said, standing abruptly. "I gotta take a leak. I'll be right back." He flicked on his flashlight and disappeared into the surrounding forest.

Kyla cringed at his parting words. "What?" Ashley asked, noticing her sister's over the top reaction.

"Haven't you seen Scream? You never say that you'll be right back. It's like buying a one way ticket on the serial killer victim express." Kyla shuddered and pulled her jacket tighter around her, scanning the campsite for any sign of suspicious movement. "And everyone knows that the woods are just crawling with hockey mask wearing, chainsaw wielding maniacs looking for unsuspecting campers to prey on."

Spencer and Ashley stared disbelievingly at the paranoid girl. "There are so many things wrong with that ramble that I don't even know where to begin," Ashley said. "I knew we shouldn't have let you have that horror movie marathon last night."

"Firstly," Spencer began. "You're mixing up your movies. Jason wore a hockey mask and killed people with a machete…and occasionally sleeping bags. Leatherface was the one with the chainsaw and he wore a mask made out of human skin. And Jason was the one who killed the campers."

"Wow, Spencer, I didn't know you were such a horror movie buff," Kyla said. Spencer was such a sweet girl, Kyla never would've guessed she was into that kind of thing.

"Are you kidding? She'd rather watch The Hills Have Eyes than watch porn," said Ashley. "You should see her dvd collection. It's all horror, foreign films, documentaries and musicals." She swore, Spencer has the worst taste in movies.

Spencer nudged Ashley with her elbow. "You like musicals too."

"No," Ashley corrected. "I like a musical. One. And everybody knows that Rocky Horror Picture Show is the best musical ever made. I was like six, the first time I saw it, and it's still one of my top ten movies of all time."

"You were six?" Spencer looked at Ashley with new understanding. "That explains so much about you."

"Glen's been gone a while," Kyla said, looking concerned. "Maybe you should go and check on him, Ash."

"Why do I have to do it?"

"Because you're…just because." Kyla's phone started to ring, she warily pulled it out of her pocket and looked at the screen. "Blocked number," she informed the other two before answering it. "Hello?"

"What's your favorite scary movie?" a gruff voice asked on the other end.

"Who is this?" Kyla squeaked, her eyes darting around wildly. Ashley just rolled her eyes at her sister's reaction and snatched the phone out of Kyla's hand.

"Hey asseyes, we know it's you. So cut the shit and get back here." She ended the call and tossed the phone back to it's slackjawed owner.

"Why'd you do that? Now you're going to get us all killed!"

"Please tell me you're not that gullible," Ashley groaned, dropping her head to Spencer's shoulder.

"Hey," Glen greeted, popping out of the bushes a moment later. "Did you miss me?"

"Aren't you a little old for prank calls, Glen?" Spencer asked as her brother sat back down next to Kyla.

"What?"

"Oh please, don't try and act innocent, we all know that it was you."

"Spence, I don't know what you're talking about."

"So, you're seriously saying that you didn't just call Kyla."

"Uh yeah," Glen shrugged, he didn't know what the big deal was. "I didn't even have my phone with me. It's still in my backpack."

Although, they were still about ninety nine point nine percent certain that Glen was responsible for the call, the girls felt some doubt creeping in.

"If it wasn't you, who was it?"

Suddenly, some nearby bushes started rustling. Instantly, the teens were on their feet and backing away. Kyla resumed her death grip on Glen's arm but, this time, he barely even noticed.

"What the fuck is that?" Ashley asked, subtly positioning herself behind Spencer.

The bushes shook more violently, parting to reveal…a skunk?

The sight of the wild animal sent the two inexperienced campers into a panic. "Kill it, Spencer. Kill it!" Ashley shouted, pointing at the large skunk as it ambled closer to the group. "Kill it with fire!"

While Kyla shrieked and leapt into Glen's arms, only to have the unprepared boy stumble under the unexpected weight, and the both of them end up on their asses.

Spencer was the only one that managed to remain calm. She picked up one of the hot dogs they'd had for dinner and tossed it away for the camp. The skunk followed the smell of food and shuffled off back into the woods.

"What if it comes back?" Kyla questioned, still sitting on Glen's stomach.

"It won't." _Probably._

"Screw that," Ashley said, keeping her eyes trained on the spot the skunk had last been seen. "I'm going to bed."

"I'll join you." Spencer wiped her hands on her pants and followed her fiancee to their tent.

Glen shifted, with Kyla still on top of him, reached behind him and pulled out the packet of Graham crackers he been laying on. "S'more?"

-

"I don't get it," Ashley pouted, looking adorable in her beanie. "The weather report didn't say anything about rain this weekend." Early that morning, they woke to the sound of rain pelting their tents and Glen and Kyla had made the dash across to Spencer and Ashley's mansion of a tent to discuss the situation.

"That's the beauty of mother nature," Glen said, relishing his role as the sole male protector of the three girls. "You have to expected the unexpected."

"Says the guy who didn't even think bring a sweatshirt," Spencer scoffed.

"It's summer!" Glen protested, shivering in his t-shirt. The rain had bought a sudden cold snap with it.

"Ugh, it's pouring out there. Maybe we should pack up and go home," Kyla suggested. She too, was freezing in a shirt with three quarter sleeves.

"Nah, this should blow over soon," Spencer said. She so didn't want to go home yet. "We just have to wait it out."

_What Spencer wants, Spencer gets_. Ashley zipped up the door to the tent and turn back to the group. "Okay, so any suggestions on what to do while we wait?"

"Oh!" Kyla started digging through the backpack she'd brought with her to the tent. "I have travel Scrabble!"

"Of course you do," her sister sighed. "How did I end up with such a dork for a sister?" she asked rhetorically. "It's like I got all of Dad's cool genes."

Kyla made a face at her and went about setting up the small game board. "Whatever. You're just being defensive because you know that you're going to lose."

"Actually," Spencer piped up. "She's really good at Scrabble. She's the only person that ever beat Clay at it."

"You know about that?" Ashley buried her face in her hands.

"Oh yeah. Mom told me all about it after you went home the next day. Something about herpes and a triple word score and a dance that you did. She wasn't very impressed."

"Wait," Kyla giggled. "You did a dance while playing Scrabble? Who's the dork now!"

"Still you," Ashley snarked.

-

Ashley was focused intently on her letters. If only someone put down something ending in C, she could totally hit a double word score with 'clitoris'.

"See this is fun, isn't it?"

Glen grimaced at Kyla, he was loosing miserably. "Oodles."

Kyla totally missed his sarcastic tone and nodded. She went back to contemplating her letters. What could she possibly spell with a C, U, Q, R, T and N? She was about to put down some tiles when she felt something cold and decidedly slimy on her arm. Time seemed to slow as she looked down and, to her horror, found a small brown frog just sitting there on her skin.

She let out a strangled squeak but Glen's full attention was concentrated on trying to come up with a high scoring word and her sister and Spencer were too caught up in another intense round of eyesex with each other to care.

"Guys?" Nothing. She raised her shaking voice. "Guys?" Nothing again. "Hey assholes!" Now that got a reaction.

"What'd you call me?" Ashley snapped.

"Sorry but I needed to get your attention somehow. Look!" Kyla jerked her head towards the frog, who was now staring back up at her with beady black eyes, no doubt planning it's next jump onto her face.

"Oh shit!" Glen exclaimed, throwing himself back against the far wall of the tent. He wouldn't have lasted five minutes in the army.

Ashley, on the other hand, frowned and moved in for a closer look. "What is it?"

"It's a frog and it's on my arm and can you get it off now, please?" Kyla was trying very hard not to panic.

"But what if it's poisonous?"

Kyla's eyes bugged out, she hadn't even considered the possibility. "Do you have poisonous frogs here?"

"I don't know." As if Ashley knew anything about nature. "Spence?"

Spencer shrugged. "I'm pretty sure it's not." But just because she hadn't heard of poisonous frogs lurking in the Californian wilderness didn't mean that they didn't exist. She unzipped the door to the tent. "Just go outside and shake it off, Ky."

"But it's still raining."

"Too bad, you can't let it loose in here. We'll all get poisoned!" Ashley said, shrinking back towards where Glen was cowering.

"But Spencer said it wasn't poisonous!"

"What does she know, she's from Ohio. No offence, baby."

"None taken."

"Now get out there." Ashley gave Kyla a push in the back with her foot, propelling her out the door and into the rain.

The sight of Kyla slipping around in the mud while frantically shaking her arm and screaming at the top of her lungs, was too comical for the others not to laugh.

"Oh, that's just great," Kyla remarked miserably, once she'd finally gotten the demon frog off her arm. "I could be dying from frog poisoning and you're laughing at me!" She went to re-enter the tent, only to have her way blocked by her still giggling sister. "What?"

"I'm not letting you in like that, you'll get mud in the tent."

"Come on, Ash. I'm freezing out here!"

Ashley felt for her sister, she really did. But she still wasn't going to let her in. "Sorry, Ky."

Now Glen stepped up. "It's alright, Kyla. Come on, I'll take you down to the creek to wash the mud off." After all, it was the gentlemanly thing to do.

"Thank you, Glen. At least one of you cares about me." Kyla sniffed with a pointed look at Ashley who just shrugged at her.

-

"I still can't believe that your mom told you about that night," Ashley said as she lay with Spencer's head cradled against her chest after Kyla and Glen had left to go and get clean.

"I think that she was trying to scare me away from you and your extensive knowledge of STDs."

Ashley kissed the top of Spencer's head, feeling completely content. "I'm glad she didn't." She couldn't imagine what her life would've been like if Spencer had rejected her.

"Oh please, it would've taken more than herpes to keep me away from you…That didn't sound right, did it?"

They both giggled.

"Good to know." She ran a hand through Spencer's pretty golden locks. "You know, that actually turned out to be a pretty good night."

"Even though I was on a date with another girl and my mom made you say grace and sleep on the couch?"

"So you admit that it was a date?"

"Shut up." Spencer laughed, tracing her fingers across Ashley's stomach.

"I'm sorry I left," the older girl said sincerely.

"What?"

"After Clay…I'm sorry I left," Ashley admitted. She figured that this was one of those things that they'd have to talk about eventually and what better time than now.

Spencer was quiet for a moment, considering her next question carefully. "Why did you?"

"You needed to be with your family. I didn't want to get in the way of that."

"I needed you."

Ashley sighed. "But you didn't need the drama that came with me. Paula certainly wouldn't have appreciated me hanging around and there was the whole Aiden thing. When my mom asked me to go to Europe with her, I saw an easy out and I took it."

"And you didn't call because?" Spencer asked, a little more harshly than she'd meant to.

"I was scared," Ashley said flat out. She was ashamed of her cowardly nature and even now she constantly had to fight against her instincts to run away whenever things went wrong. "Spence, I..I tried to make myself call you. I'd sit there with my phone open for hours, staring at your number, but I just couldn't."

Spencer lifted her head to look at her girlfriend. "What were you so scared of?"

"That you would break up with me over the phone and I wouldn't be able to stop you." Ashley laughed bitterly at how lame she'd been. "Yeah, it was stupid, I know."

Spencer smoothed Ashley's red bangs back off her face. "But you're never going to do it again, right?"

"Never," Ashley promised.

"Then that's all I need to know." Spencer moved to kiss her.

"We're totally going to have tender, emotional sex now, aren't we?" Ashley grinned up at her fiancée.

"Oh yeah."

-

"So, uh, is this as uncomfortable for you as it is for me?" Glen asked in a strangled voice, pulling his sleeping bag up to his chin. Once they'd gotten most of the mud washed off Kyla, they'd retreated back to their tent to get warm. Of course, he was starting to regret that decision now that he was being forced to listen to the moans of his baby sister as she had sex in a tent that was less than five feet away.

"Yup," Kyla answered, keeping her eyes trained on the roof of the tent.

"That's what I thought."

-

"So, sharing a tent with Glen, how's that working out?"

"Ash, I'm trying to pee," Kyla's voice came from behind the tree Ashley was leaning against. When Kyla had asked her to escort her to the 'bathroom', she couldn't say no. Knowing her sister, she'd accidentally walk off a cliff or something if left to her own devices.

"I know, now you can't change the topic like you usually do."

Kyla growled in frustration. "Yes. Alright? I do like Glen. I like him. Are you happy now?"

Ashley grinned triumphantly and broke out into song. "You loooove him, you want to kiiiiiss him, you want to maaaaarry him, you wanna have his baaaabies."

"Ash, cut it out! He might hear you!" In her haste to shut her sister up, Kyla forgot that her pants were still down and she tripped over them. Luckily, her fall was softened by the leafy plants she landed on. "This sucks."

-

All too soon for some, and not soon enough for others, their weekend in the woods came to an end and the group found themselves driving back into the city.

Spencer and Glen were talking about the time Glen had gotten car sick on the way back from one of their annual family camping trips but Ashley was too distracted watching her sister in the rearview mirror to really listen to them.

"Um, Ky," she finally spoke. "I know that you haven't gotten laid in a while but can't you wait until you're alone to rub one out?"

Kyla forced herself to remove her hand from her crotch as everyone's turned their heads to look at her. "I can't help it, it's so itchy!"

"Did you touch a plant with like yellow leaves?" Spencer asked.

_This is so Ashley's fault._ "Yeah, I fell in a big patch of it. Why?"

Spencer cringed. "Sorry, Kyla, but I think it was poison-oak."

"Posion-oak?" Kyla shrieked. "Why do these things keep happening to me?" she wondered sulkily.

"Because it's so funny!" Ashley laughed, until Spencer smack her in the arm. "Uh, I mean, that really sucks for you."

"I can ask mom to take a look at it when we get home," the blonde offered helpfully.

Kyla groaned and dropped her head against the window, crossing and uncrossing her legs in discomfort. "Fantastic."_ I hate camping._

**TBC**


	23. Decisions, Decisions

**Title: Growing Up (Falling Down) 23/24**

**Author: xperimental**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Fandom: South Of Nowhere**

**Pairing: Spencer/Ashley**

**Summary: The end of high school is only the beginning of the rest of their lives…**

* * *

**Chapter 23 - Decisions, Decisions**

Stealthily, Ashley crept across the loft to the kitchen area. Spencer was in the shower and Kyla was still asleep, it was the perfect time for her to indulge in her secret addiction. Opening one of the cupboards and pushing aside several cans of kidney beans _-Seriously, why do we have so many beans? Nobody here even eats them!_- and withdrew the package that was hidden at the back.

Grinning, she poured some of the contents into her hand. She hadn't been able to do this since they'd left Boston. "Nom nom nom, I eat you little fishies!" Ashley said to her handful of crackers before shoving them all into her mouth and chomping on them gleefully.

"What are you doing?"

Ashley spun around guiltily, her hand shooting out to hide the Goldfish behind the toaster, to find Spencer staring expectantly at her. "Nothin'" her voice was muffled by the half chewed crackers in her mouth.

Spencer tilted her head as she fought to keep the amused smile off her face. "You were pretending to be a shark again, weren't you."

Ashley forced herself to dry swallow her Goldfish and winced as they caught in her throat. "No," she croaked, looking around for something to drink.

Raising her eyebrows, Spencer reached behind the toaster and pulled out the package. "You are so weird," she said, petting Ashley on the head.

"Can I have my fishies back?"

"You can have them back after you have a proper breakfast." Spencer had gone to great pains to try and regulate Ashley's eating habits while they were living together. No more eating cereal for dinner, no random snacks for 'breakfast' at eleven o'clock in the morning.

"You want me to cook breakfast for you, don't you." And then there was that delicious benefit.

Spencer smiled, sitting at the table. "Pancakes, please." Ashley had displayed a surprising aptitude in the kitchen, which worked well for them because Spencer could burn water.

"Coming right up," sighed Ashley.

-

They were in the middle of breakfast when Kyla came in, clutching a newspaper and giggling madly.

"I knew this would happen," Ashley drawled to Spencer. "She's finally cracked."

"Not yet," Kyla corrected, laying the paper down in front of the couple. "Please tell me that's who I think it is."

Ashley barely glanced at the paper. "Paris Hilton?"

"No." Kyla pointed to the gym advertisement underneath the article about the hotel heiress and 'shocking' announcement that she was suffering from a multitude of STDs. "It's Aiden!"

"Holy shit." Kyla was right, there was Aiden, a very tanned, very pumped up version of him. The fact that he was wearing nothing but a bright purple Speedo just compounded the ridiculousness. "He looks like an oompa loompa on steriods!"

"At least he's doing something with his life," Spencer said, trying to stifle her giggles. "He's runner up Mr. Body 2009."

Of course, that just made Ashley laugh even harder. "He looks like that and he didn't even win. He is such a loser."

"You had better not be talking about me."

"Not this time," Ashley smirked at Glen, who'd let himself into the loft with key he'd been given by Kyla.

"Wow, I'm sure going to miss you when you go," he shot back. Only having a week left before Spencer and Ashley had to return to Boston, they had all been spending as much time together as possible. Today they were having a movie marathon and it was Glen's turn to pick the movies.

"Aw, I love you too, Glenny!"

"Check this out," Kyla said, shoving the newspaper under Glen's nose.

"Wha- Hey, is that Aiden?" He started chuckling at Aiden's gigantic man breasts. "He looks like the orange Hulk."

"I know, it's gross, right." Kyla grabbed the plastic bag that Glen was holding and started rooting through it. "What movies did you get? Ooh!" She pulled a dvd out of the bag. "I Know What You Did Last Summer. Let's watch this first."

_What could have possibly possessed him to get another horror movie?_ Ashley wondered. Then Glen offered his arm to Kyla and all became clear. _Well played, young Carlin, well played_.

-

"He's behind you!" Kyla yelled as Sarah Michelle Gellar limped down the alleyway. She was sitting next to Glen, who had his arm casually slung around her shoulders.

"Kick him in the nads!" Spencer shouted enthusiastically as the Croaker Queen was attacked and throw into a stack of tires by the psychotic fisherman.

"Nads, Spence?" Ashley looked dubiously at her girlfriend. "Really?"

But Spencer was too caught up in the death scene to pay any attention to her. Ashley didn't know why, they'd already seen this movie at least twenty times together and not even Jennifer Love Hewitt's spectacular rack could interest her in it anymore. Luckily, her phone started to ring. She let go of Spencer and indicated that she was leaving the room to answer it.

"Ethan, hi."

"Hey Ashley. Are you still in LA?" he asked, getting straight down to business.

"Yeah, until next weekend." She grimaced. "Why?"

"We need to have a meeting."

Ashley winced, sitting on the end of her bed. "That sounds ominous."

Ethan laughed. "Trust me, it's not. I have good news."

"That you can't tell me over the phone?"

"Not really, no. So are you free tomorrow?"

"Sure," Ashley answered, playing with her engagement ring as she often did when she became bored.

"Great, so we'll meet at Ego, around one?" _Why does he have such a hard-on for that place?_

"Actually, I was thinking we could meet at Gray. You know where that is right?"

"Uh, yeah, sure." He knew where it was but why Ashley would want to meet at that dump was beyond him. "I'll be there at one."

"Great. Bye." Ashley ended the call and was contemplating what this meeting could mean when Spencer came in looking for her.

"Who was that?"

"Ethan," Ashley informed the blonde. "He wants me to meet him tomorrow."

Spencer frowned at Ashley's lack of emotion. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"I honestly don't know." Ashley stood and took Spencer's hand. "But I'm not going to stress over it." She led her girlfriend back out into the loft's living area where they found Glen and Kyla making out on the couch.

"Busted!" Spencer yelled, she couldn't contain herself, she was just so excited that for once she wasn't the one getting walked in on.

Glen sprung away from Kyla, firmly planting himself on the opposite side of the couch. "I-I didn't..It wasn't..s-she was scared!" he stuttered, fearing the wrath of Ashley._ Oh god, I'm going to die! Ashley is going to kill me and I'm gonna die!_

"Can I just say that it's about freaking time?" Ashley said amicably, surprising no one but the only male in the room. "You two have been dancing around each other for like a year."

"Wait, so...you're okay with this?" Glen asked cautiously.

"Yes. But, just so you know, if you hurt her, I will destroy you."

Glen gulped, he had no doubt that Ashley was more than capable of following through with her threat. "Got it."

"Good."

-

It hadn't been a long meeting. They'd barely been talking long enough for the ice in Ashley's drink to melt.

"Just think about it," Ethan told her before leaving.

Ashley sighed, playing with what remained of her drink. The meeting she'd just had with Ethan had certainly given her a lot to think about. Speaking of having a lot to think about, Ashley thought, watching Cat who was hunched over at a near by table, surrounded by paperwork. After a moments indecision, Ashley decided to approach her.

"Correct me if I am wrong, but the numbers on that side aren't supposed to be bigger than the numbers on the other side, right?" Ashley said, looking over Cat's shoulder.

"You're not wrong," Cat replied wearily. "Ever since Ego opened up down the street, business has been going down by the day. I'm starting to think about just cutting my loses."

"You can't do that, you love this place," Ashley said, sitting across from the blonde club owner. "There's got to be something you can do to bring in more business. How about getting some live bands playing in here, Ego only has a crappy DJ."

"I would if I could afford it but I'm barely making enough to repay the loans that I've already taken out on this place."

Ashley nodded understandingly. "So you need money," she said, something suddenly occurring to her. "I have money."

"I can't borrow money from you, Ashley." She'd seen too many people take advantage of this young girl and Cat refused to be another one of them.

"I wasn't really thinking of it as a loan," Ashley said, slowly. "I'm thinking that it could be more of an investment."

Cat frowned at her. She had never really imagined Ashley as a businesswoman. "You want to be my business partner?"

"Silent partner," Ashley assured her. "You would still have control over the club but I was thinking that we could make use of my connections in the industry, get some kick ass live acts in here to play."

"That...doesn't sound like a bad idea," Cat admitted reluctantly. She still didn't know how she felt about taking money from a nineteen year old. "But I still don't know if I feel comfortable taking money from you."

"Why not? Just think of it as a thank you for everything that you've done for me."

"Giving you advice and letting you drink underage?" Cat pursed her lips thoughtfully. She didn't want to lose her club and she didn't really have any other people clamoring to invest. "Okay, let me talk to my people and I'll get back to you?"

Ashley nodded. "Sounds good."

"But I have to ask, what's with the sudden urge to be a club co-owner?"

"Let's just say that I'm starting to think more about my future," Ashley answered cryptically.

-

After speaking more with Cat about buying a stake in Gray, Ashley drove to the Carlin's to pick up Spencer, who had been spending the day with her family.

"How'd it go with Ethan?" Spencer asked, climbing into the car and kissing her girlfriend.

"Meh," Ashley grunted, making a face.

"So...badly?"

"No, not really," Ashley said with a pained expression. She turned the car off and shifted in her seat to face Spencer. This was definitely not a conversation to be had while driving. "He said that the label is really impressed with my work." Between the success of her songs that Kelly Clarkson had made popular and her work on Madison's album that had since gone platinum, Ashley had become a millionaire in her own right over the course of the last year.

"That's a good thing, isn't it?"

The brunette nodded. "Yeah, so now they want me to start producing as well."

Spencer frowned at her girlfriend, wondering why she wasn't more excited. "And what would that mean?"

"More money, more creative control over my songs, I'd get to work in the studio with the artists." All good things. "...and that I'd have to move back to LA." And one not so good thing.

"Oh," Spencer breathed looking down at her hands.

"Yeah, oh. I told Ethan that I'd have to talk to you before I agreed to anything."

"I think that you should do it," Spencer said unexpectedly.

Ashley studied the blonde, trying to figure out what she was thinking. "But what about Boston? I don't want to be here while you're there." She'd go completely crazy in a day, two, tops. _I mean, I love Glen and Kyla but having to spend all my time with them now that they're a couple? Yeesh._

"Um, I've been thinking about that...Being back these last couple of weeks, well it's made me realize how much I missed everyone and I'm pretty sure that I want to move back," Spencer explained.

All the blood drained from Ashley's face. "I'm not going to let you drop out of college," she warned. "Paula would murder me in my sleep." Spencer laughed at the mental image that Ashley's words conjured up. "Well, I'm glad you find my potential death at your mother's hands so amusing," said Ashley, pouting petulantly.

Spencer covered the brunette's hand with her own. "I'm not going to drop out. I want to transfer to UCLA. I mean, Emerson has been great but I want to come home."

"Are you sure?" Ashley asked, hoping that this is what Spencer really wanted and wasn't just saying it for her benefit.

"Yes," she answered, candidly.

"Okay, I guess we'll have to start looking for an apartment here, then. I don't think Kyla would be that pleased to have us staying in the loft permanently, especially now that Glen and her are together." Ashley shuddered at the idea of being forced to listen to her sister having sex. What a horrifying experience that would be.

"Actually," Spencer interjected. "I was thinking that maybe we should start looking for a house."

Ashley smiled at her. "Near the beach with high fences and a big backyard?" she asked, imagining the house that they'd raise a family in.

Spencer nodded, indulging her fiancée. "A house near the beach with high fences and big backyard," she confirmed, knowing that once they'd found their perfect house, it would be like the beginning of a new chapter of their life together. She couldn't wait.

**TBC**


	24. Epilogue

**Title: Growing Up (Falling Down) 24/24**

**Author: xperimental**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Fandom: South Of Nowhere**

**Pairing: Spencer/Ashley**

**Summary: The end of high school is only the beginning of the rest of their lives…**

**A/N: 1. I'm sorry this has taken so long, writing this chapter was like pulling teeth. 2. I know that some of you don't want this story to end, I don't either, but I also don't want to drag it out and have it go to crap. As for a sequel, I don't want to do a sequel just for the sake of a sequel but if I get a good idea for one (and I have a few already in mind) then I'll write one. 3. I'll start posting a new shorter story sometime next week, so keep an eye out for that. 4. Thank you to everyone who has left feedback, especially those of you who took the time to leave long reviews. You have no idea how much it's been appreciated.  
**

* * *

**Chapter 24 - Epilogue**

**Six Months Later...**

"Spencer, come on!" Ashley yelled up the stairs, bouncing impatiently on her heels at the bottom. She'd been up and buzzing around since the crack of dawn.

A five bedroom, three bathroom mansion complete with a conservatory and a pool in the backyard, wasn't exactly what Spencer had pictured when Ashley had said that she wanted to live in a normal house. And she had most definitely balked at the 1.5 million dollar price tag. But Ashley had managed to talk her into it by rationalizing that this was the house that they'd be spending a huge chunk of their lives in and eventually they'd need the extra room; when she put it that way, Spencer had much less of a problem with it.

It had taken them almost an entire month to get everything settled in Boston. They'd returned to pick the cats -who were twice as fat as they'd been when they'd left them- from Mrs. B, pay out the lease on the apartment, let the band down easy and finalize Spencer's transfer from Emerson to UCLA. But finally, they were ready to pack up their belongings and have them shipped back to their new home. And now it was time to add another piece to the picture; they have the cats, the house and, soon, the dog. All that would be left was for them to do would be to get married and have children.

Spencer smirked and continued to get ready at her own pace. For the last two days her fiancée had been bouncing around like a monkey on crack, ever since the dog breeder had called to inform them that their puppy would be ready to pick up. She threw her hair up into a careless ponytail as she descended the stairs.

"Finally," Ashley grumbled to herself.

Spencer kissed her lover on the cheek and plucked the car keys from her hand. "I'm driving."

"But we'll take a year to get there!"

"And if you drive we'll probably end up either getting a speeding ticket or getting in a wreck."

Ashley let out an indignant gasp, she had never been in a car accident. Ever. "I'm an excellent driver."

"Okay, Rain Man," Spencer mocked playfully as they walked towards the two Porsche's sitting side by side in the driveway. Since Spencer would be commuting to college and now that Ashley had a job that actually required her to go to work, they'd agreed that Spencer needed a car of her own. Ashley had wanted to buy her a brand new one but Spencer had refused to let her spend even more money on her, suggesting instead that she just use Ashley's old SUV.

Ashley stopped in her tracks, remembering that she had left something very important behind. "My research!" she yelled, turning around and running back into the house.

Spencer just laughed and unlocked her car. She knew how seriously Ashley was taking the whole thing. After her utter failure in naming any of her pets before, Ashley had insisted that she take on the responsibility of naming the dog and when she wasn't working or spending time with Spencer, she was on the internet looking up dog names.

"Got them," Ashley said, joining Spencer in the car.

"Couldn't leave with out your graphs," Spencer noted, eying the manila folder Ashley was holding in her lap.

"Graphs and pie charts," Ashley corrected her proudly. She hadn't done so much work since that assignment on sharks in the fifth grade. "Did you know that Max is the most popular name for dogs in America?"

"So you're going to name him Max?" _Well, I guess it's better than something lame like Spot or Snickerdoodle._

"No way, it's way to common." Ashley pulled a sheet of paper out of her folder. "I have a short list. I figured that once we meet him, we'll see which one suits him the best."

Spencer turned the key in the car's ignition. "Then I guess we'd better get going."

-

"He's right through here." The breeder, a pleasant young gay man, lead the couple through his house. "He's the last one left."

"Really?" Spencer questioned.

"Well, I always donate half a litter to be trained to be guide dogs," he explained. "And his sisters were picked up yesterday." The dark haired man open the door to a room at the end of the hall and immediately a yellow ball of fluff came barreling out to greet the new arrivals.

"Awww," Ashley cooed as the baby Golden Retriever vigorously attacked her shoelaces. "Spencer, look, he likes me."

Spencer smiled at her fiancee's childlike enthusiasm. "I can see that."

"So what are thinking about naming him?" The breeder asked.

Ashley held the puppy up, studying his face intently. "He looks like a Barney," she finally declared.

"All that research and you're going to name him after a purple dinosaur?" Spencer asked incredulously.

"No, Spence, I'm not naming him after the purple dinosaur," Ashley explained patiently. "I'm naming him after Barney Stinson aka the most legendary fictional character ever."

"Oh." _I knew letting her binge on How I Met Your Mother, the other night, was a bad idea._ But Spencer had to admit, as far as names for Golden Retrievers went, Barney wasn't such a bad choice.

-

After a long discussion with the breeder about what they should feed him and when they should take him to get his shots, during which Ashley diligently took copious notes, they were back on the road.

"So we'll have about an hour once we get home before everyone arrives," Spencer said as they drove home. Now that the girls had their own house, the collective Carlin-Davies clan often gathered there instead of at Spencer's parents house. Ashley never thought that she'd ever enjoy spending time with Paula Carlin but even she had to admit that it was nice to hang out together on the deck by the pool while Arthur manned the grill. It was all very frighteningly normal.

"No, we'll have an hour before your parents arrive. You know that Glen and Kyla are always late." Ashley ran her hands through Barney's soft fur as he slept in her lap, contemplating the changes she'd noticed in her sister's relationship. "Do you think that they've been acting kind of weird lately?"

Spencer shrugged. "Not any weirder than usual. Why?"

"No reason..." Ashley said. "They've been being really nice to each other."

"So? They are dating."

"Yeah but they're not one of_ those _couples. Not usually, anyway. It's unsettling." She had seen Glen pulling Kyla's chair out for her at dinner the other night. Pulling out her chair! And he had the nerve to call her pussywhipped.

"Maybe they're planning on moving in together. Glen's been complaining about living with Mom and Dad a lot lately."

Ashley considered this option and found it to be acceptable. "Yeah, maybe." She rolled her head to the side and smiled lazily at Spencer. "I love you," she uttered, realizing that she hadn't said it all day.

"I love you more."

"Not possible."

-

When they arrived home, Ashley left Barney in the car with Spencer while she went inside to wrangle the cats from the conservatory -their favorite place in the whole world- into the living room. She sat them down and gave them a very serious talk about the new addition to the family and how she expected him to be treated. And now it was the moment of truth. Spencer bought the golden pup in and put him down on the floor a few feet away from the large cats. Ashley hovered nervously, ready to step in if things went badly, as Barney loped towards the two unfamiliar creatures, his tail wagging madly.

AJ gave the excited puppy an entirely disinterested look before getting up and returning to the conservatory -she couldn't believe her owner had interrupted her nap for this-, so Barney went for Luca and started licking his face. Luca shrank away in disgust and batted at him, luckily without his claws extended. Still, Ashley quickly scooped the dog up out of harm's way.

"I don't think he wants you to kiss him," Ashley told Barney as Luca hightailed it in the same direction AJ had went.

"He was just saying hello," Spencer said, petting the puppy, who didn't seem adversely affected by the incident. "He'll learn soon enough."

"So you think it'd be okay if we just let him run around?" Ashley was worried, if Barney lost an eye on his first day in their care, that would so not be a good sign for the future.

"He should be alright, as long as we keep an eye on him."

Ashley kissed the pup on the head before putting him back down so he could explore his new home. "I think I might go and lock the cats outside, just in case."

"You do that."

-

Ashley was right about Arthur and Paula arriving well before Glen and Kyla. And like anyone who had a soul, both were completely taken with Barney. Paula had made the mistake of throwing a tennis ball for him once and now seemed to be stuck with that task for the rest of the day, not that she minded much.

"Hey Dad, you need any help with the grill?" Glen asked, after turning up half an hour late.

Arthur paused in the middle of turning a steak, remembering the last time his son had helped with the grill. It had taken a month for the blond boy's eyebrows to grow back. "Ah, no. It's fine. You just keep taking care of the drinks."

"'Kay." Glen shrugged and made his way back to the gathering of women. _I really need to get some guy friends. _He stopped when he witnessed the most peculiarly sight. "Uh, Spencer, your cat is humping your dog."

"AJ!" Spencer snapped, automatically assuming that AJ, much like her namesake, would be the one with the overactive sex drive. Hopping off Ashley's lap, she joined her brother and gasped. "Luca!"

"Jesus, Spencer," Glen chuckled. "Even your pets are gay!"

Quickly the entire family was gathered around watching. "Shouldn't we stop this?" Kyla asked. Luca did look to be biting Barney's neck pretty hard.

"I don't know," her sister said. "Barney seems to be enjoying it." The pup's tail was wagging ten to the dozen. "Maybe we should get AJ a girlfriend," she suggested. It was only fair, if Luca got a boyfriend, his sister should get a girlfriend.

-

"I hope you all know what you're in for," Glen warned, removing the game board from the box. After lunch it was time for board games, it was a new tradition. "I am the king of Monopoly."

Paula laughed, remembering how they all thought that Glen would grow up to be some sort of real estate mogul, given his natural aptitude for the game when he was younger. How wrong they were. "Simpson's monopoly, Glen?" _What was wrong with the original edition? I wanted to be the Scottie dog._

"What? It's cool!" he said defensively. "Ooh, I get to be Bart."

Kyla gave him the piece and continued distributing the pieces around the table, keeping Lisa for herself. "Here you go," she said, giving Ashley the Homer figurine and Spencer the Marge one. "You two remind me of them."

"Homer?" Ashley asked, raising an eyebrow. "I remind you of a bald, fat man?"

"No. But, like, you two together. You always screw up and do stupid stuff and Spencer always forgives you but it works because you were meant to be together...I'm not explaining this very well."

"I think I get what you're saying," Spencer said and looked adoringly at her fiancée. Kyla comparing them to one of the strongest and longest lasting relationships on television certainly wasn't something that she was going to take offence to.

"What a difference a few years makes," Arthur marveled. "I don't think any of us imagined that we'd all be sitting around playing board games together."

"Yup," Glen agreed, wiping his suddenly sweaty palms on his jeans. This seemed like as good a opening as any. "We're one big happy family...that's about to get a little bigger."

"Glen!" Kyla hissed, looking at her boyfriend, in panic.

"It's okay, Ky," he assured her.

"What are you talking about Glen?" asked Paula.

Glen cleared his throat and stood, pulling Kyla up to join him. "Well, we have an announcement to make-"'

"I told you something was up with them!" Ashley excitedly whispered in Spencer's ear. She loved being right.

"Kyla's pregnant."

"What is it with you Carlin's and accidental pregnancies?" was Ashley's first reaction. Actually, her first reaction was _Let's hope that Glen doesn't lose his keycard again, _but even she wasn't dumb enough to say that out loud.

"I could say the same about your family," Spencer shot back.

"Touché."_ I was an accident, Kyla was an accident, the spawn of Satan, uh I mean Aiden was an accident. Clearly we are both very fertile families, when you think about it, this really was inevitable. _"Wow, could you imagine if I could knock you up? We'd have like a hundred kids by now."

"Mom? Dad?" Glen questioned his unresponsive parents nervously.

Paula and Arthur looked at each other, nonverbally communicating in that way that only a couple that has been together for decades can. Their experience with Clay had somewhat prepared them for this and they were fully prepared to support their son and his girlfriend. "Congratulations," his father said, standing and clapping his son on the shoulder. He hoped that this was the thing that would give Glen some much needed direction in his life.

"How far along are you?" Paula inquired.

"About two months," Kyla answered, her hand automatically going to her still flat stomach.

"Have you thought about names?" Paula was asking them the questions she wished she'd asked Clay when she had the chance.

"Well, I like Seth or Xavier for a boy and Indigo for a girl."

Ashley laughed at Glen's look of disgust. He put an arm around Kyla's shoulders and pulled her to his side. "We haven't really talked about it yet," he said in a tone that clearly indicated that he'd rather chew off his own arm than give his child a sissy name like Xavier.

"I can help you choose," Ashley offered. Her success with naming Barney buoying her confidence. "I could make a pie chart!"

Spencer turned in Ashley's lap to ask, "What is it with you and pie charts?"

"There's just so many colors," the brunette offered. _So many pretty colors_.

"So does this mean that you're going to be getting married too?" Paula asked the prospective parents slyly.

Glen looked like he was about to faint. "We haven't talked about that yet either," Kyla answered for him.

"Our brother and sister cannot get married before we do, Spencer. We were engaged first!" Ashley said before tilting her head, thinking about what had just come out of her mouth. "That sounded a little incestuous, didn't it."

"Just a tad," Spencer agreed.

"Hey, since Kyla's my sister and Glen's your brother, we're both actually going to be related to this kid," Ashley shared her revelation as it happened in her brain. "You guys had better make us the godparents." _I'd hate to have to cut my own sister._

"We were planning on it," Glen told his future sister-in-law. It wasn't like they had many other options anyway. Who else would they ask? Madison?

Ashley grinned and hugged Spencer around her waist. "Hear that, Spence. We get to be godparents."

"I heard." Spencer briefly kissed the brunette, glad that she wasn't taking the news badly.

"Mom?" Glen asked gently when he noticed Paula looking at Spencer and Ashley with tears in her eyes. "Are you okay?"

Paula forced a laugh and wiped her tears away. "It's silly. It's just you're going to be a father and my little girl is getting married. You're all just growing up so fast." She could still vividly recall a seven year old Spencer, walking around in her lab coat and shoes and saying that she wanted to be just like her mommy when she grew up.

Glen hugged his mother. "Don't worry, Mom. You're going to make a great grandma."

"Momma's boy," Ashley coughed.

"Oh, that's mature," Kyla remarked.

"Bite me, Juno."

"I think that this calls for a toast," Arthur announced, holding up his glass.

"A toast to what?"

"Me!" Ashley suggested. "And Spencer," she added off Spencer's playful glare.

"How about to Glen and Kyla," Paula offered.

"How come we didn't get a toast when Spencer told you that we were getting married?" Ashley asked, pouting.

Arthur smirked, looking at his family and taking note of the changes they'd all gone through. Paula had changed from a homophobic and overbearing mother to an accepting and supportive one. Spencer had changed from an unsure, shy girl to a strong young woman who was confident in her own sexuality. Glen had grown from a cocky, lazy boy to a humble, lazy young man and the changes in Ashley were to abundant to count. Arthur was proud of every single one of them. "How about a toast to growing up?"

_Lame, Mr. C_, Ashley thought, but she still raised her glass along with the others.

-

"You okay?" Ashley came up behind Spencer, kissing the back of her neck as she wrapped her arms around the younger girls waist. "You've been pretty quiet since Glen and Kyla made their little announcement."

"I'm fine," Spencer smiled briefly and went back to washing up. Conveniently, when it came time to clean up, everyone had somewhere else to be.

But Ashley knew her well enough to know when Spencer was hiding something. She gently turned Spencer around to face her. "No, you aren't. What's bothering you?...Is...Is this about Clay, is it reminding you of him?"

Spencer sighed, she didn't know how to express what she was feeling without coming off as totally selfish. She should be feeling happy for her brother, not like this. "No, not really, anyway. It's just, that's never going to be us."

"What do you mean?"

Spencer dropped her head. "I mean that one day I'm not just going to notice that my period's late and realize that I'm pregnant."

"Hey, look at me." Ashley tipped the blonde's chin up. "We'll have kids one day, we will."

"I know. But it's always going to be planned, there's going to be doctors or adoption agencies…It'll never just be us."

Ashley comfortingly ran her hands up and down Spencer's bare arms. "Spence, I know that…it's going to take some work but look at it this way, our kids will never feel unloved or unwanted because they'll know exactly what we were willing to go through to have them. But that's a long way off, who knows what they'll come up with before we ready to have children."

"How do you do that?" Spencer asked with a smile.

"Do what?"

"Always make me feel better."

Ashley shrugged, smiling cutely. "It's a gift." She hooked her fingers through Spencer's belt loops and pulled her against her. "One of many."

"Oh really?" Spencer said teasingly.

"Ohhhh, yeah. Why don't we go upstairs and I'll show you the others."

"But what about-"

"Forget about the washing up. I'll do it later."

Spencer looked impressed. "You clean now too?"

"What can I say?" Ashley smirked. "I'm the perfect woman. And do you know what the best part is?"

"What?" Spencer played along.

"I'm all yours." She kissed Spencer once. "Forever." Twice. "And ever." Three times. "And ever."

"I guess I'm stuck with you then," Spencer sighed.

"It's rough, I know."

"But I think I can deal with that."

She could definitely deal with that.

**THE END**


End file.
